FIRST World War soldiers famously laid down their weapons on Christmas Day to play soccer with Germans from the opposite trenches.
But there would be no footie with the Jerries for Keighley private Claude Edwin Riby as he spent his first Yuletide on the Western Front.
The young picture framer was killed on Christmas Eve by the bursting of a German shell in the frontline trench.
Claude was born in 1892 in Keighley and, after leaving the Trade and Grammar School in 1907, he joined his father Edwin’s picture dealing business in Cavendish Street.
Seven years later, in the month war broke out, he went along with four friends from the YMCA to join Kitchener’s Army.
A few months later he was promoted to corporal, then sergeant, before heading out to France in the summer of 1915.
The school magazine described the ‘old boy’ as a fine young man, who had looked upon life with a fortitude and calmness, born of a Christian spirit.
One of Claude’s fellow soldiers praised him for helping comrades during a 48-hour duty without rations.
The soldier explained: “But for the foresight of young Riby, who had enough for us all, we should have starved.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here