The nature of mining made death and serious injury no stranger to Darfield. Communal grief was deeply held.

In 1914 many young men were taken from Darfield to form part of the 'Yorks and Lancs Regiment'

The battle fields of the Somme claimed many lives; the death toll was devastating in World War One 100 Darfield "lads" paid the supreme sacrifice at the end of the War immediate steps were taken to record the names of these gallant men a large stone was obtained and on it was engraved;

"A Roll of Honour to the fallen of the European War" the names of the 100 fallen were inscribed.

The names of two Officers were recorded; 2nd Lt. C.M. Sorby (the son of the Rector) and 2nd Lt E.F.H. Taylor (son of the Squire). The stone was supported by a large wooden cross and sited near the entrance to Middlewood Hall.

        Simple but Effective.

For many years, at 11 a.m. on the 11th Day of the 11th month, 2 minutes silence was observed by all sections of the community. Pit "hooters" blew at 11 a.m.; school children assembled in the School Hall or SchoolYard, even shopping and transport took respective action, throughout the Village the two minutes silence was reverently observed.

During the 1920’s a Public appeal was launched in order that a more substantial War Memorial could be erected in the Centre of the Village.