This man is a candidate for addition to Keighley's Supplementary Volume under the proposal to add further names in 2024, the centenary of the original roll of honour.
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Supported by the National Lottery's Heritage Fund, our project intends to submit about 120 names for peer review to add them to the book which is kept at Keighley Library. The unveiling of the book with it's new names is planned for November 2024, 100 years after the unveiling of the original war memorial.

Air Mechanic (E) 1st Class. 66th Wing, Royal Air Force. Service no. 223607. Formerly Royal Naval Air Service. No. F23607.

Air Mechanic David Feather.

Early life:

David was the only son of Rushton Feather and Martha Elizabeth Feather née Charnock, who had married on 3rd October 1891 at Bingley All Saints parish church.
David was born on 5th June 1892, the birth was registered in Skipton. He was baptised on 24th September 1892 at St. Mary's Church in Riddlesden, and they were living in Silsden at the time. Rushton was an overlooker.
In the 1901 census David was aged nine and living with his parents who were now aged 35 and 32. Their home was now at no. 11, Strawberry Street in Silsden. Rushton was employed as a worsted spinning overlooker.

Some time between the two census dates David attended Keighley Trade and Grammar School, although his name is not on their roll of honour in the Keighlian Magazine in 1918.

By 1911 he was 18 and had followed in his father's footsteps and was a worsted spinning overlooker. Rushton was 45 and a worsted spinning manager. Martha was looking after the family home which was now at 281 Bradford Road in Riddlesden. The census stated that they'd had just one child in their marriage.
David was later employed as a gilling and drawing overlooker by Mr. J. E. Pilgrim, at Alexandra Mills.

War service:

David enlisted with the Royal Naval Air Service on 11th November 1916 for 'hostilities only.' and his service number was F 23607. He would have been 24 years old at the time. His medical details state he was 5 feet 5 inches tall with a 36 inch chest; brown hair and grey eyes. He had a fresh complexion and two small scars on his forehead. His service was described as 'For Service in Land Operations.'
He trained at HMS President II (Crystal Palace) as an Air Mechanic 2nd grade (E) until 17th March 1917 and he went on to serve at HMS Queen II in Italy, when he was made up to Acting Air Mechanic 1st grade in 1st January 1918. until 31st March 1918 when the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps were merged to form the Royal Air Force on 1st April 1918. His conduct was 'very good' and his ability was rated as 'superior.'
There are notes below this, which state he was at 'Otranto' on 17th March 1917 and 'Queen' on 17th and 18th March 1917. Otranto is in Taranto, Italy.

David was now mustered with the 66th Wing of the newly formed Royal Air Force and his RAF record ledger shows he was issued with a new service number 223607 and all the dates from his RNAS service are confirmed. His civilian occupation was 'mechanic' so he may have retrained between the 1911 census when he was an overlooker, and his enlistment. His RNAS trade classification was 'Engineer' and his RAF trade classification was now 'Fitter (AE).' and he was paid three shillings per week.
His father Rushton was his designated next of kin and his home address was at ‘Hill Crest’ in Riddlesden, near Keighley.

David was in service when he died of broncho pneumonia at no. 79 General Hospital in Taranto on 28th September 1918. The influenza epidemic was raging through Italy at the time. David's RAF Casualty card states that he was admitted dangerously ill with influenza and broncho-pneumonia on 27th September and he died the next day. He was 26 years old.

He was buried in Taranto Town Cemetery Extension in plot III, row E, grave 6. The family inscription on his Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone reads: 'Faithful Unto Death.'

The Keighley News, 19th October 1918, page 3:

KEIGHLEY AND DISTRICT.
Air Mechanic David Feather, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Feather, Hill Crest, Riddlesden, Keighley, has died of pneumonia in Italy. He was 26 years of age and joined the R.N.A.S. in November, 1916, and went to Italy in March last year. He is spoken of very highly by his officers and friends and he appears to have been a great favourite with everybody. An officer states that his work on aircraft was all that could be desired. In civil life he has employed as a gilling and drawing overlooker by Mr. J. E. Pilgrim, Alexandra Mills, Keighley, for whom his father acts as manager. He was educated at the Keighley Trade and Grammar School.

Post war:

David's 'Soldier's effects' record shows that his father received a payment from his pay account of £6 3s. 11d on 2nd May 1919, and a war gratuity payment of £8 10 shillings on 26th January 1920.
David's war service medals would have been sent to his parents, they were the British War Medal issued on 20th February 1922, and the Victory Medal issued on 8th March 1922.

Martha is named on a Dependant's Pension Card, but apart from the address and her relationship details with David, there is no mention of a pension being paid to her as that section has been left blank. A later Pension card reports Martha's death in 1923, but shows no pension details.

The Feather family grave is at Morton Cemetery, Riddlesden and although he is not buried there it bears a memorial inscription to David, which reads:
David Feather, Air Mech. R.N.A.S., who died Sep. 28th 1918, aged 26 years at Taranto, Italy and was buried there. Dearly beloved son and only child of Rushton and Martha E. Feather. Hill Crest, Riddlesden.
David's name also appears on war memorial plaques at Riddlesden War Memorial Institute and at St. Mary's Church in Riddlesden.

In the 1921 census, Rushton aged 55 and Martha aged 52 were still living at Hill Crest, Morton Banks/Riddlesden. Rushton is still a worsted spinning manager for James E. Pilgrim Limited, at Alexandra Mill in Keighley and Martha is looking after their home.

Martha died aged 54 in 1923 and Rushton died aged 70 on 22nd October 1936. They are both buried in the family grave at Morton cemetery.

Rushton's probate record left £3621 2s. 9d to a Sarah Elizabeth Feather, widow, on 12th January 1937.

Information sources:

West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910
1901 England Census
1911 England Census
Airmen Died In The Great War, 1914-1919
Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939
RAF Museum - Casualty Cards
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library.
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
1921 Census Of England & Wales
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995