Sheffield Daily Telegraph
28 Jul 1915
page 3 column c
MILITARY FUNERAL
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HALLAMSHIRE RIFLES’
STRIKING TRIBUTE.
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Pathetic scenes were witnessed at Walkley
Cemetery, Sheffield, yesterday, when the remains
of Company Sergeant-Major J. Siddall, of the
Hallamshire Rifles, whose death occurred in
peculiarly distressing circumstances, were in-
terred. A little over three weeks ago the
deceased, who was 48 years of age, having joined
the Hallamshires when only 18 years old, returned
from the front to see his wife, who had been
taken seriously ill, but when he arrived home
she had passed away only half an hour before.
This sad occurrence affected him greatly; he
was taken ill on the eve of rejoining his regi-
ment, and pneumonia developed. He was re-
moved to the Base Hospital, and despite the
attention of the medical staff he passed away on
Thursday last.
Several thousand people lined the route from
the house in Freedom Road to the cemetery,
where the crowd was so dense that it was found
advisable to close the grounds to the public.
It was impossible to hold a complete military
funeral owing to the fact that a gun carriage
could not be procured. Apart from this, how-
ever, the deceased was accorded full marshal
honours. A firing squad from the 3rd 4th Bat-
talion (Hallamshire) York and Lancaster Regi-
ment, marched at the head of the cortège, being
immediately followed by the regimental band
under Mr. J.Tait, the Battalion fife band,
and a detachment of the rank and file. Then
came the hearse containing the coffin. At the
approach to the cemetery gates about four
hundred members of the 3rd-4th Battalion York
and Lancaster Regiment, in command of Captain
C.E.Levick, acted as a guard of honour.
On reaching the cemetery the body was met
by Major M.J.Duggan, Quarter-Master of the
1st 4th Battalion of the York and Lancaster
Regiment (who is home from France on a week’s
furlough), Major J.Wortley, and Major W.
Tozer, Captain S.G.Robinson and Captain
Gilbert Hay, past officers of the Hallamshires.
As the coffin was conveyed from the gates of
the cemetery to the chapel the band played
Chopin’s funeral march.
The service was conducted by the Rev. S.T.
G. Smith (Vicar of Walkley), Rev.T.M.Archer
(senior curate), Rev.P.J.Kelly , (of Whitwood
Mere, formerly curate at Walkley Church), and
the Rev.J.R. Cooper (minister of Walkley
Baptist Church).
Walkley’s Sacrifices
The remains were laid to rest on the hill side
in the same grave as that in which his wife
was buried, the coffin, which was covered with
the Union Jack, being borne by six sergeants.
The firing party and buglers, the Regimental
band, and a squad of the rank and file took up
positions round the grave, and at the conclusion
of the committal sentences the Rev S.T.G.
Smith gave a deeply impressive address.
On behalf of the family and the clergy, said
Mr.Smith, he thanked them for coming to do
honour to their comrade. He might take it that
the residents of Walkley represented by the great
mass of people outside those grounds also appre-
ciated the honour they had done to a Walk-
ley soldier. They felt that there was a pathos
about that service because the family there
represented were experiencing a terrible bereave-
ment. Only a week ago they buried in that grave
the wife, the helpmeet of him whom they had
just laid to rest. It was their comrade’s terrible
grief, they believed, that had hastened his death.
Round that grave were standing the deceased’s
brother and son, both back from the front
wounded. While all that was indeed a sore blow
to them it was only an example of what the
people throughout the country were experiencing
at the present time. In Walkley they knew of
some 700 men at least who had enlisted, while
they had experienced more than their proportion
of deaths. As far as he could gather that would
make the forty-sixth. They were Walkley men
who had given their lives for their country. All
this it seemed to him should appeal to any who
had not yet given their services on behalf of
their country in some way or other. Such inci-
dents as those should appeal to every man to
be up and doing.
Three volleys were then fired and the “Last
Post” sounded.
Among a large number of floral tokens were
wreaths from Lieutenant-Colonel F.Revell
Sutton and officers of the 1st 4th York and Lan-
caster Regiment; Major J.Wortley and Captain
C.E.Levick; the retired officers of the Hallam-
shire Regiment; Sergeant-Major and Sergeants
of the 3rd 4th York and Lancaster Regiment;
Sergeant-Major and Mrs. W.Pinder; the work-
men of Messrs. W.Turner and Sons; and friends
at the Freedom Hotel.
Corporal A.Siddall, of the Royal Garrison
Artillery, was granted leave to return home from
the front to attend the funeral, and the other
son, on active service, who was present, was
Cyclist V.Siddall of the Army Service Corps.
He has been wounded.
Included among those present at the cemetery
were Colour-Sergeant Cowlishaw (now retired)
and several wounded members of the Hallam-
shires.
