Selwyn Lupton

Died from his wounds aged 20 on 10/1/1916. He was Private 1380 1st/5th West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wale’s Own). Born and enlisted at Harrogate. The son of Frank and Alice Lupton of Harrogate. MIC – Victory. British War and 1915 Star medals, he landed in France on 15/4/15. Buried at Harrogate (Harlow Hill) Cemetery, G. 277.
Selwyn’s name appears on the St. Marks War Memorial, Leeds Road, Harrogate.
Frank and Alice had five sons and two daughters by the time of the 1901 census.

These from the Harrogate Herald of the day –

Harrogate Herald 12th January 1916
‘We regret to record that Private Selwyn Lupton, fourth son of Mrs. F. Lupton, 15 Robert Street, Harrogate, who we stated had been wounded in our last issue, died of wounds he received at Ypres on December 20th on Monday at Wharncliffe War Hospital, Sheffield, in his 21st year. Internment at Harlow Cemetery this day (Wednesday). Service at St. Mark’s Church 12.15’.

Harrogate Herald 10th January 1917
‘In ever loving memory of Private Selwyn Lupton, 1380 West Yorks, who died at Wharncliffe War Hospital, Sheffield, 10th January, 1916, in his 21st year, from wounds received at Ypres on 20th December, 1915 – From his loving Mother, brothers and sisters’.

Harrogate Herald 14th January 1920
‘In loving memory of Private Selwyn Lupton, late 1/5th West Yorks Regiment, who died at Wharncliffe War Hospital, Sheffield, on January 10th, 1916, from wounds received at Ypres, December 20th, 1915 – Mother, Brothers and Sisters’.

Harrogate Herald 12th January 1921
‘In loving memory of Private Selwyn Lupton, 1/5th West Yorks, died January 10th 1916, Wharncliffe War Hospital, Sheffield – From Mother, brothers and sisters, 15 Robert Street’.

Selwyn’s mother also had to go through the ordeal of having two more sons serving with the army, one a prisoner of war in Germany.

Harrogate Herald 15th January 1915
Sergeant Clement Lupton, of the 12th West Yorks Regiment, son of Mrs. Lupton, 15 Robert Street, Harrogate, is a prisoner at Lager 2, Rennbahn, Munster, Block 2, Room 3, Westphalia, Germany.
In a letter home he shows the dietary is not all that could be desired (there is evidently much more in the expression “all that could be desired”! than appears on the face of it) and should any of his friends desire to supplement it we may mention some of the articles that he suggest would be acceptable: Bread, Currant Bread, or anything with fruit in, tinned milk, syrup, chocolate powder, margarine, cheese, meat paste, marmalade, jam, oatmeal, or Quaker Oats, & Parcels up to 11lbs in weight can be sent free.

Claro Times 29th October 1915
“Sergeant C. Lupton, 12th West Yorkshire Regiment, son of Mrs. Lupton of 15 Robert Street, Harrogate, is a Prisoner of War in Germany, and is in good health. He was in the great advance at Loos on September 25th”.

Harrogate Herald 10th October 1917
Another letter of W.H. Breare –
“I have been able to read a few letters from Sergeant C. Lupton, son of Mrs. Lupton of Robert Street, who is a prisoner in Germany. With the letters came a photograph showing that Lupton is in good health, and bears no sign of privation. He is receiving parcels regularly. I hope to be able to give his photograph, together with a comrade, as they appear in their German prison”.

Her other son Frank was also mentioned in the Harrogate Herald of 28th November 1917 in a letter by a W.H. Breare :-
‘Sergeant F. Lupton, son of Mrs. Lupton of 13? Robert Street, is on leave for fourteen days’ and came to see me. He was last home on leave December 1916, he has been in all the Ypres offensives up to October 4th, when his lot were granted a rest. He was still in action, however, but on a quiet front, when he came away. The only Harrogate boy who has been with him was wounded and since transferred to another regiment. His name is Gunner H. Clarke. Lupton has neither been sick or wounded. He returns from leave on Friday. I was pleased that Lupton brought his wife to see me whom I have not seen since his last leave. It was nice to see both and good of them to spare me time out of their precious leave. They are a very happy couple and both have equal reasons to be so. I hope it may not be long before they are reunited for good. Whilst I am Dictaphoning this sentence I am thinking of all other married soldiers’.

Harrogate (Harlow Hill) Cemetery