DALTON William

Serjeant 5963 22nd Bn Australian Infantry KIA 03/10/1917 Aged 34.

1883: Born Tadcaster. Son of John a Brewery Labourer Born Askham Richard 1856 and Jane Simpson Born Stillington 1857.

1899: Served in the Kings Own Shropshire Battalion seeing service in India and South Africa in the Boar War between 1899 and 1905.

before settling with his wife Isabella and his child near Melbourne living at 17 Victoria Street Coburg Victoria Australia.

1916: Enlisted 5th September aged 33yrs and 7 months into the 22nd Bn Australian Infantry, at his medical he was described as being of a Fresh Complexion 5ft 7 and 1/2 inches, with Blue Eyes and Brown Hair. William had a tattoo

1916: Embarked for Plymouth on the 02nd October onboard HMAT Nestor from Melbourne.

1917: Set sail for France 03rd February aboard HMS Arundel and was billeted to Etaples near Boulogne the area used for training troops before joining the trenches.

1917: On the 24th February William joined the front line and was promoted to Lance Corporal at the beginning of March 1917.

1917: William suffered Gun Shot Wounds to his right arm left thigh and face on 20th April, was evacuated to Hospital in England staying at the Norfolk War Hospital until the 20th May where he reported for training at Perham Downs.

1917: Charged with being AWOL and forfeited two days pay in June, and was promoted to Sergeant a few days later Gaining the rank of Company Sergeant Major at the beginning of September 1917.

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1917: On the evening of the 03rd October near Zillebeke one and half miles from Ypres, William was with Company A Platoon No 11 carrying out burial duties for men who had lost their lives that day. After they had finished they went back to Muhl Trench and William sat down on the step to light up a cigarette it was reported that a shell landed killing William from severe head injuries along with a Leiutenant Norman John Moore  of the 23rd Battalion and Eight others instantly. (six men from the 22nd/23rd Bn Australian Infantry were buried at China Wall Cemetery on the 03/10/1917.)

The Australian Red Cross interviewed witnesses at the scene. CLICK HERE

William was described as being called "Bill" "Dolly" and wore the South African King and Queens medals. William had all the papers of the men they had been burying which were reported as being lost. See Eye witness reports Please press back button to return to site.

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William was reportedly buried outside of Muhl Trench, and it can be assumed his body was lost as the fighting still took place, as a result he is recorded on the Menin Gate.

However whilst looking through Williams service record a page came from the burial partys and Australian Graves Commission giving details that William had been buried in Perth China Wall Military Cemetery.

1921: A certificate showing authentication of three photos of a memorial cross Row M Plot 6 are recorded, a copy being sent to his wife Isabella. Isabella received Williams effects after the war a pipe, holdall, and a shaving kit, also details of Williams Will Isabella received a pension as did Williams Daughter Elsie  

Remembered Ypres Menin Gate Memorial Belgium. Memorial Tadcaster.

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POOL Ralph

Private 345 2nd Bn Australian Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron DIED Disease 20/11/1917 Aged 22. Born  Healaugh nr Tadcaster. Son of John Pool Born Steeton nr Colton Tadcaster 1856 and Kate Huscroft Born Healaugh in 1862 Married 24/10/1885 Healaugh St Johns Baptist Church. 

Ralph surname is spelled Poole on the Australian service records and the Commonwealth War Graves Site indeed the local memorial in Healaugh spells it this way. However on  his birth certificate it is spelled Pool.  Ralph had two brothers Fred Born 1889 and Frank born 1891 one of these brothers emigrated to Australia with Ralph. Memorial Healaugh.  Tootool Australia.

In 1901 the family were living in Healaugh and Ralphs father John was working as a domestic gardener probably at the Old Vicarage or Healaugh Old Hall. At the outbreak of  WW1 Ralph was in Australia and on the 1st of December 1914 Ralph aged 19 years and 9 months enlisted into B Sqn of the 7th Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron  at Holsworthy New South Wales. At  his medical he is described as being 5ft 11 inches tall weighing 168 lbs a chest measurement of 37- 40 inches a dark complexion gray eyes and brown hair.

Left Sydney on the Ayrshire  20/12/1914 presumably for Egypt and in 1915 set sail for Gallipoli on H.M.T Kiteon ?  10/10/1915 Ralph reported sick with Diarrhea and was placed on the hospital ship Assaye which took him to Malta. 16/10/1915 Ralph was admitted to St Patricks hospital on the island and he was transferred to Ghain Tufficha on the 23rd of that month. In early November Ralph was transferred to Imtarfa Hospital with Enteric fever and in early January was feeling well enough to be transferred to Cairo Egypt on board H.M.T Valdivia.

Ralph had obviously emigrated with one of his brothers 09/01/1916 a F. Poole of "French Park the Rock Sydney N.SW" sent a letter to the officer in charge of Victoria Barracks Melbourne asking for details of the whereabouts and Health of his brother Ralph. A reply was sent explaining Ralphs next of kin was in Tadcaster England and an address in Malta was given for any letters to be sent to Ralph. I do not know which brother this was either Frank or Fred.

Ralph was still not well enough to be sent back to the front and was sent home for a three month convalescence onboard the Hospital ship "Nestor"  leaving Malta  12/02/1916 arriving in Melbourne  13/03/1916.

12/09/1916 from Melbourne on board "Hymettus" with the 21/7th Light Horse Infantry landing at Moascar. In December of that year Ralph was taken on strength into the 2nd Bn Machine Gun Sqn.

 06/11/1917 Ralph is reported to have been wounded with gunshot wounds to both thighs and testicles and admitted into the 65th Casualty clearing station at Ismara. On the 14th of November Ralph was transferred to the 14th General Hospital and was reported to have been dangerously ill.

Ralph was finally moved to the 31st General Hospital in Port Said Egypt 20/11/1917 passed away from his wounds, he was buried 26/11/1917 in Port Said cemetery Egypt the service being carried out by Chaplain W.A.Ceayes.

Yorkshire Herald York July 1916

 A letter was received by the Australian authorities  07/01/1918 from a Mrs Celia Rothery of Northcote Avenue Kilara N.SW in it she explained she had received a letter from Ralphs bother who was described as living up country stating that he was not aware or had received any notification of Ralphs passing. She went on to say she had received a card from Ralph dated the 14/11/1917 saying he had been wounded and indeed her son who served with Ralph himself invalided on the 9th of November had heard of Ralphs passing.

It was explained that only the next of Kin on the soldiers form was his father and mother in Healaugh Tadcaster. 20/06/18 Kate signed for the return of Ralphs personal belongings. This was done in early 1918 and on the 23rd of January 23/01/1918  Ralphs mother Kate was issud with a war pension of 40\ shillings. The final chapter in Ralphs story is regarding his pension in that in 1920 Ralphs brother "F"  9Fred or Frank) applied to take over the 40\ shillings i can only presume that John and kate, Ralphs parents had passed away.  

Ralphs Gravesite in 1920 (Copyright AWM. Government)

Laid to RestPort Said War Memorial Cemetery Egypt. A special thank you to Ralph Mclean of the South African War Graves Project for the above.

KELLY Hubert William 

Private 2688 54th Bn Australian Infantry KIA 04/05/1918 Aged 22. Born Appleby Westmorland. Son of George William Calver Kelly and Margaret Douglas CWGC "Southend," Stockport Road Timperley Cheshire. Enlisted 22/05/1916 Forbes New South Wales Aged 20 yrs and 2 months old, Residence Rankin Street Forbes NSW Australia, also giving an address of St James Street Wetherby Occupation Labourer. Described as being 6ft tall weighing 11 stone 2 lbs. fair complexion grey eyes and brown hair, a chest measurment of 35 inches and described his religion as Methodist.

07/10/1916 Hubert set sail onboard the Ceramic for Plymouth from Sydney arriving on the 21/11/1916 and was admited to Hospital with influenza in the December staying there for a month. 24/01/1917 Hubert left for Etaples a training base near Boulogne, onboard the S/S Princess Clementine from Folkstone. 17/04/1918  Was Gassed after being treated by the 55th Field Ambulance was transferred to the 9th General Hospital at Rouen.

22/04/1918 Hubert was moved to the 1st Southern General Hospital at Stourbridge nr Birmingham where he passed away at 8.40 am  04/05/1918. At 3 pm on the 06/05/1918 Hubert was layed to rest in an Elm coffin at Stourbridge Cemetery. The funeral was attended by Huberts parents, and the service was conducted by the Rev Pritchard Brearley Hill Birmingham. The coffin was bourne to the grave by members of the Royal Army Medical Corps and a firing party of six wounded Australian Soldiers, the last post was sounded and wreaths were layed on his coffin.

Finally on his service records a letter was recieved from a Minnie ? enquiring to the state of Huberts health as she had not heard from him in three months, possibly a girlfriend of Huberts. Sadly there is no reply to Minnie on record and one can only assume that unfortunatly all correspondance was prioratised and only given to next of kin. His will dated 22/2/18 all effects were to be given to his mother who was shown as residing at Mt Pleasent Road Camborne Cornwall. Laid to Rest Stourbridge Cemetery Worcestershire.  Memorial Wetherby.  To view Huberts service record Click here.