A POIGNANT new chapter has been added to the fascinating story of a rural Silsden landmark.

Fireman’s Rock – set alongside a moorland path near Windgate Nick – is visited by hundreds of walkers every year.

The ancient boulder bears a carving of a fireman’s helmet and the inscription, A. Moore November 1939.

It was the Keighley News that first revealed the origins of the carving in 1964, when the family of Arnold Moore told how – as a 17-year-old – he and his pal Jack Sowray had etched their names and images of firemen’s helmets into the rock shortly before enlisting for service in the Second World War.

For more than six decades it had been assumed that the name of Jack – who was killed on active service in France in 1944 – had disappeared from the boulder, probably lost to time and the elements at the windswept spot.

But a series of remarkable coincidences this year has led to the rediscovery of his name, on a rarely-viewed rear section of the rock overshadowed by a drystone wall.

And the development has come about through members of Jack’s own family.

His niece, Lesley Sowray, made the emotional discovery whilst out with a walking companion.

“We found no trace of the helmet carved by Jack but – going around the back of the rock – we were astonished to glimpse a couple of letters,” said Lesley, from Keighley.

“On clearing away some of the lichen, the name J. Sowray became clearly visible.

“It felt truly amazing and brought tears to my eyes.

“To think my uncle carved this more than 80 years ago and I’ve run my finger over it just as he might have done.

“I have always felt close to Uncle Jack, as my dad – who was his younger brother – worshipped him, felt his loss greatly and talked about him a lot.

“It’s wonderful to know that Jack will now be remembered and not be just another forgotten soldier who gave his life for his country.”

Arnold Moore and Jack Sowray were both sons of serving fire officers in Bradford and grew-up together in staff quarters at the Nelson Street fire station.

The Moore family had acquired a small holiday bungalow in Light Bank Lane at Silsden, below the moorland path to Ilkley, and the two teenage boys spent many happy hours exploring the area and climbing the hills.

Before the outbreak of war, both boys had planned to follow in their fathers’ footsteps by joining the fire service.

Unlike his friend, Arnold survived the war and became a leading fire officer in Bradford.

He continued to visit the rock, describing it as his “favourite place”.

And he even proposed to his future wife at the spot.

But until recently, the Sowray family remained unaware of the Silsden connection.

That changed when Lesley was contacted by a former nurse, Mike Fizio, who lives at Swartha in Silsden.

Whilst looking into the history of the rock, he had been intrigued to hear mention of the unusual Sowray name.

He recalled once working with a hospital colleague of the same name and contacted Lesley to see if there was the possibility of any family connection.

“The whole thing is unbelievable,” says Lesley.

“As a keen walker I have walked past the rock many times, but I never knew there was a family story at its heart until this surprise question came from Mike. Now we can visit regularly and honour the memory of Uncle Jack at this very special place.”

Jack Sowray lost his life in August, 1944, at the age of 22 when he was hit by a German sniper shortly before the end of the war. He is buried at Bayeux War Cemetery.

“On his last home leave he had a premonition that he would not be coming back and asked my dad to look after the family,” says Lesley. “It is comforting to know now that Jack’s name lives on at one of the places that he loved most.”

Lesley has placed white roses at the site and visited with her brother, John.