First World War
Like almost every household in the country, members of the Stables family joined up at the outbreak of war in 1914. We dedicate this section to the men and women who fought for their country one hundred years ago. Those who came back and those who didn't.
Soldiers Died in the Great War
23 entries of the surname Stables appear in the 81 volumes of this record of the men who died. Of these, eight are the Yorkshire Stables and we list them here.
Arthur Stables was born in St James, Doncaster, the son of Herbert and Emily Stables, and was Private 9728 in the 2nd Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment. Killed in action 14th November 1914.
Ernest Stables was born in Birstall, the son of James W And Ann Stables, and was Private 33292 in the Yorkshire Light Infantry before transferring to the Machine Gun Corps (58419). Killed in action 21st May 1917.
John Stables was born in Leeds, the husband of Jane Ann Stables, and was Shoeing Smith 775541 in the Territorial Force of the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery. Died of wounds 19th April 1917.
Maurice Stables was born in Tickhill, the son of William and Lily Stables, and was Private 22759 in the 2nd Barnsley Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment. Killed in action 9th March 1917.
His memorial inscription can be seen here.
Victor Stables was born in Hooton Pagnell, the son of Richard Bobbit and Ellen Catherine Stables, and was Private 12/1404 in the 12th (Sheffield) Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment. Killed in action 18th May 1917.
Walter Stables was born in Horsforth, the son of Seth and Emma Stables, and was Private 24248 in the 16th Battalion of the Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment. Killed in action 3rd May 1917.
Fred Stables was born in Brampton, the son of William Henry and Lucy Stables, and was Private 21982 in the 1st 4th (Hallamshire) Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment. Died 26th April 1918.
Sam Stables was born in Wath and was Private M2/104966 in the Army Service Corps. Died 18th September 1918.
Further details can be read here.
The sons of Oswald and Annie Maria Stables
Sons of Oswald and Annie Maria Stables of Darfield
Denis Alvyn Stables (4th left top row)
Oswald Stables of the Rising Sun in Darfield had a large family and no fewer than six of his sons fought in the war. Miraculously, all survived, although almost all of them were wounded. This picture appeared in the Mexborough and Swinton Times in 1916, when five members of the family were in the army. The youngest son, Ernest Victor, was to join up later that year.
Extract from The South Yorkshire Times. Dated May 5th, 1917.
Ernest Victor Stables in uniform Ernest Stables (2nd right) in the Lancashire Fusilers Ernest Stables (front row centre) with a work party
Pte. E.V. Stables (Y & L) the 6th soldier son of Mr & Mrs O. Stables of The Rising Sun Inn, Darfield was wounded on 11th April 1917 and is now in hospital in Exeter, Pte Stables had only been in France about a month.
Pte E.V. Stables (39149).
Extract from The South Yorkshire Times. Dated June 30th, 1917.
Lcp. James Stables (Y & L) 4th son of Oswald Stables, wounded in action on June 7th – bursting of a shell causing injuries to arm and face, in hospital at Dundee. He had been at the front for 10 months. This is 2nd occasion he has been wounded. Prior to enlistment, he was in business in Sheffield.
Oswald Stables (seated left) in Military Hospital
Lcp. Oswald Stables received discharge owing to wounds sustained on Sept 3rd 1916. He was attached to the West Yorks. Shrapnel in both legs and right arm.
Sam Stables (1889-1918)
William Stables' family grave
Sam was the youngest child of William & Harriet Stables and was born on 6th July 1889 at Wath-upon-Dearne and baptised at the parish church on 29th December. His father was a publican but Sam chose not to follow this career, instead becoming a taxi driver & chauffeur. His father had died in 1913 leaving Sam a substantial sum of money which probably enabled him to buy his own transport. At the outbreak of the First World War he enlisted in Kitchener's New Army as a private and transferred almost immediately to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. He was not the only one in the family to be affected by the war, as his sister Christiana had married a German, Wilhelm Kraft, who had come over to work as an Engineer at Manvers Main Colliery. At the outbreak of hostilities Wilhelm was interned on the Isle of Man and eventually deported back to Germany and was never heard from again.
Sam served in the RNVR until 24th February 1915 when he was discharged as being medically unfit. However, on 8th June he re-enlisted in the 717th Motor Transport Company of the Army Service Corps, and was sent to France. While the ASC was fighting in Caonne he was taken prisoner on 27th May 1918 and taken to the German POW camp in Worms. He died while still in captivity on 18th September, although the cause of death is unknown, However, contemporary reports show that conditions in the camp were appalling, with prisoners being malnourished and badly treated. He was buried in Hochheim Hill Cemetery and is commemorated on the family grave in Wath churchyard.
Sam's will can be viewed here.
Leonard Theodore Drury Stables (1891-1918)
Public Trustee War Memorial
Leonard was the son of Walter Williams Godfrey Stables and Isabella Mary Stables (nee Drury). He is descended from Martin Stables who died in Knottingley in 1723. He worked as an assistant clerk in the Public Trustee's office from May 1915. He died in France on 23rd October 1918 aged 27, fighting with the 6th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. In addition to being commemorated on the Public Trustee War Memorial, Leonard is also commemorated at the Highland Cemetery at Le Cateau.