LIKE MANY men in the Home Guard Joseph Heaton had served in the regular army during the previous war.

But unlike many, this Oakworth veteran had spent the past few months of the First World War in a German prison camp.

The peacetime textile worker was among 35,000 servicemen kept at the Friedrichsfeld camp 60 miles north of Cologne.

By the time he was captured in April 1918, following a German attack at Grande Bois (“Kemmel”) on the Western front, Private Heaton had survived more than two years as a soldier.

His elder brother Herbert had been killed in November 1917, while younger brother Arthur was also serving in the forces.

Joseph was born in Oakworth in 1896 and grew up in the village, and by the age of 14 worked as an apprentice combing overlooker, probably for William Haggas of Oakworth.

Joseph enlisted in December 1915, and was wounded in the army two years later, only days after the death of his brother Herbert.

Although he was taken prisoner in April, 25, 1918, it was not until October that year when his family received communication from the Red Cross to reveal he was safe.

Joseph married Maria Stell in 1920, served as a sergeant in the Home Guard during the Second World War, and died in 1972 at the age of 76.