VILLAGES and towns across Craven in the spring of 1920 were discussing how best to remember those who had died in the First World War.

Several were also debating whether to accept the offer of a war trophy - perhaps a tank, a machine gun or a field gun, captured from the Germans.

Without exception, the offers, which came down to the parishes through the higher authorities, or from the National War Savings Committee, were controversial, with the offers discussed both by annual meetings of the ratepayers, and by the parish and town councils themselves. Some thought way trophies ought to be displayed, as a lesson to future generations, with others thinking such guns would be an insult to those who had lost sons in the war.

In Sutton-in-Craven, the subject was discussed at the annual parish meeting of ratepayers. Factory owner and philanthropist, James Bairstow, who was to go on to donate land to the parish for a memorial recreation ground, spoke in favour of the field gun being kept. He said it would be a reminder to children of a future generation that their parents had fought in the war. It was ‘desirable that that the rising generation should be reminded of the sacrifices the present generation had made’, he said. And, if there was any question of cost, he would pay for the gun being done up and mounted before being put on display.

Another at the meeting, a Wilson Davy said some of the people most anxious to have the gun had had no share in the war.

And, parish council chairman, Cllr L Preston, presiding over the large gathering, said it would be a great insult to return the gun, or even to scrap it and that it would be discussed by the parish Council – a move that had some residents commenting what had then been the point of the parish meeting, if the decision was to be ultimately made by councillors. The meeting of ratepayers agreed however that the gun be removed from the park and placed in the council school playground where it wait a decision.

Over in Steeton, at its annual parish meeting, the offer of a German gun was accepted.

The gun had been thrown in a beck, with mischievous children thought to be responsible. A number of ex-servicemen had spent three quarters of an hour getting it out and moving it to a spot set aside for the village war memorial. Police enquiries had established that a number of boys, between 13 and 15 years old, committed the act at the instigation of some older persons.

In Ingleton, the parish council discussed the allotting of its captured German gun from Settle Rural District Council. The clerk explained how four years earlier he had applied for a war trophy, and so the offer must have been a result of his earlier inquiry.

The gun, which had been deposited at the Midland Station, was the subject of much discussion, with the chairman saying he could understand arguments on both sides. One councillor thought it ought to be put in the beck, commenting it would be a nice thing to have a gun to remind him it was one of which that had ‘blown his son to bits’.

Cllr J Howarth was not in favour as he thought the gun would be very unsightly. He thought it would be a shock to those inhabitants who had lost their sons or relatives, but that they might accept with gratitude something that was of ‘English make’. They had suffered much in the village through the war, but he failed to see how the councillors could speak feelingly on the matter as none had lost any sons. He thought acceptance or rejection of the gun should be decided by a parish meeting.

It was decided by 14 to 10 votes to accept the trophy.

Another, Cllr Walker said it would be an expensive gift and the council would have to provide a site.

Over in Burton -in -Lonsdale, the village war savings association had raised £1,000 and was presented with a German rifle from the National War Savings Committee, which presented war trophies to each local committee to raise a minimum of £1,000.

In Barnoldswick, its then Urban District Council was told by the National War Savings Committee that its tank would be delivered in early April. It was also to receive a machine gun in special recognition of Barnoldswick’s special effort in raising so much money during gun week.

The officer in command of the 9th Battalion West Riding regiment at Halifax wrote to the council stating he had a large collection of machine guns captured by the battalion and wished to present them to towns from which so many members of the battalion had joined.

The offer was accepted by the Barnoldswick councillors, with one commenting once the council had set its new tax rate it might need the guns for protection, presumably, from angry residents.

In 1918, Guiseley was presented with a captured German field gun by the Government, and the then town council located it on Towngate. After 10 years the council wanted to remove it but Canon Howson, Rector of Guiseley and the British Legion disagreed, believing it to be a monument to those who had died in the war.

It was decided to move the gun into the rectory grounds, the large group pictured were building an emplacement for the gun to stand on. Canon Howson himself can be seen wearing his clerical collar and holding a spade.

A large oak cross with the words “Give Peace In Our Time O Lord” stood with the gun, it was moved into the Rectory grounds just before Remembrance Day 1928.