The Baptist Church records that 270 men from the community enlisted in the armed services during the 1914-18 War. As the total adult male population of the village in the census of 1911 was less than 270, this figure must include men from the surrounding area and, possibly, sons of families living here. The majority served in the 7th Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment which was named after the Colne Valley but a number served in other regiments whilst a small number were in the Royal Navy.

The war claimed the lives of 38 men. The first to fall was Private William Shann, who, in all probability, was in the regular army before the outbreak of war as he was killed in October 1914. Two of those killed, Asa Townend of the Medical Corps, and Morris Crampton, were awarded the Military Medal.

The war widened horizons for those at home as the community hosted a family of Belgian refugees.

It has not been possible to find out how many from Scapegoat Hill served during the Second World War and there are no records of anyone from the village being killed in the hostilities. During WWII the Baptist Church served as an air-raid precautions centre.