John Waddington
Born Heapey, Living in Whittle le Woods
Died of Wounds: 21 June 1917
France and Flanders
Reg no - 25365
Rank : Private
Enlisted at Chorley
9th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
The 9th Battalion took part in the Battle of Messines
He is buried at Kandahar Farm Cemetery, Wulverghem (now Wulvergem)
The headstone notes on CWGC site mention a Mrs Issabelle Waddington,
c/o Mrs I Robinson, Moor View, Blackburn Road, Heapey
No inscription
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John Ward
Born Blackburn
Killed in Action: 2 July 1916
France and Flanders
Reg no - 15351
Rank: Private
Enlisted at Chorley
11 Battalion East Lancashire Regiment
Another member of the Accrington Pals
Specifically, he was in the Chorley Pals and Killed in Action with the attack on Serre
Son of Thomas and Alice Ward of 2 County Terrace, Clayton le Woods
His brother Richard was also Killed in Action (see below)
His name is on the Thiepval Memorial
As of 30\11\2020 whilst sifting through old picture files from over 10 years ago I found a picture of him
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Richard Ward
Born Blackburn
Killed in Action: 30 July 1916
France and Flanders
Reg no - 18117
Rank : Private
Enlisted at Blackburn
2 Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers
Richard Ward and the 2nd Battalion, were involved in the attack on Guillemont.
They assembled in an area east of Trones Wood, moving forward along the
Guillemont Road.
They entered the village from the south west taking a few casualties.
Later in the attack they became cut off
650 casualties out of attacking force of 750, majority dead or missing.
Brother of the above
Son of Thomas and Alice Ward of 2 County Terrace, Clayton le Woods
Married Cordelia Ellen Carr, St Matthews , Blackburn on 13 September 1913
Husband of Cordelia Ellen Hinton (formerly Ward), of 146, Higher Audley St., Blackburn.
Think they had a son Frank Clifford Ward in 1914 , he married Ella Ashton at
St Matthews, Blackburn in 1935.
His name is on the Thiepval Memorial
Thank you to Allison Aspden (nee ward) for emailing me and providing
extra information. I have added it to the comments page.
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James Waring
Born Whittle le Woods
Killed in Action: 11 April 1918
France and Flanders
Reg no - 19354
Rank: Private
Enlisted at Chorley
1 Battalion South Wales Borderers
1st Bn. attached Trench Mortar Bty
On the 8th April 1918, the 1 Battalion South Wales Borderers set off on a 5 hour train journey from Fouquereil and then marched to Beuvry.
They arrived at a comfortable billet.
On the 9th April 1918, they were woken by shelling on the village, which lasted
until 10.30 am.
The Germans had attacked the line from La Bassee Canal to Armentiers.
On the 10th April 1918, "the day was more or less quiet"
On the 11th April 1918, the Battalion was to relieve the front line at Hohenzollern.
But that order was cancelled at 12 noon and they were ordered to the Canal Line.
With two companies holding the line at La Bassee Canal and two companies
in support.
Son of William and Amelia Waring, of The Cross Keys Inn, Whittle-le-Woods.
His gravestone reads
JESUS MERCY, MARY HELP
ETERNAL REST
GIVE UNTO HIM O LORD
RIP
Buried at Browns Road Military Cemetery, Festubert
The words are those of his father Mr William Waring
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George Weaver
Born Farington
Killed in Action: 27 March 1918 ?
France and Flanders
Reg no - 28789
Rank : Private
Enlisted at Chorley
9th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment
Lodgers at Naylors Fold, Whittle le Woods in 1911 with his wife Alice and their children
Ethel and Mary Hannah.
George was a labourer at the Cotton mill
George Henry Weaver was previously Pte. 23223, King's Liverpool Rgt. It looks like
he was a draft transferred to the 9th Cheshires from the King's, possibly early 1916.
His recorded date of death is wrong, most likely because of the heavy fighting.
The 9th Battalion had been mostly withdrawn from the area.
And the war diary will not have been backdated accurate.
He is buried at SERRE ROAD CEMETERY No.1
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William West
Born Whittle le Woods
Died of Wounds: 13 September 1915
Gallipoli
Reg no - 11417
Rank : L / cpl
Enlisted at Chorley
6 Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
He may of been injured at the attack on Chunuk Bair
They were positioned at a place called the apex on the Chailnuk Dera.
The battalion after the attack was moved to Sulva and took over trenches at Green
Hill.
He is buried at the HAIDAR PASHA CEMETERY, Istanbul, Turkey
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John Westby
Born Chorley, Living at Clayton le Woods
Killed in Action: 28 April 1917
France and Flanders
Reg no - 24981
Rank : Private
Enlisted at Preston
10 Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
The 10th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was in action on the 23rd April.
Taking part in the 37th Division attacks on GREENLAND HILL during the Second Battle of the Scarpe.
On the 27th tthey recieved orders to attack GREENLAND HILL at dawn the next day!
At roughly 4.30 am the battalion attacked and managed to capture one of their objectives.
From the moment they attacked they had come under heavy fire and suffered serious casualties.. and only had 1 officer survive.
Their attack had failed due to a combination of poor weather conditions and the snow would'nt of helped. The Germans were dug into some very well defended positions.
Son of the late Joseph and Mary Ann Westby; husband of Mary Westby, of
6, Pleasant View, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, Lancs.
of 3 Brownley Street, Clayton le Woods,
left £199 10s 7d to his wife Mary as of a probate date of 3 Sep 1917
He married Mary Crook in 1909 at Chorley Reg Office
Children -
Mary Veronica Westby born 1911 Died 1911
Mary Veronica Westby born 1913 married James Clayton at Chorley Reg office in 1934
His name is on the Arras Memorial
Robert McClellan was in the same Battalion and also killed on the same day
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Walter Westhead
Born Whittle le Woods
Killed in Action: 29 October 1918
Italy
Reg no - 34155
Rank : Private
Enlisted at Chorley
8 Battalion Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra, Princes of Wales' Own)
Formerly 34627, Ches. Regt
On the same day of the Austro-Hungarians asking for an armistice!
Walter Westhead would be Killed in Action at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, which
was fought from the 24th October 1918 to 3rd November 1918.
This battle helped to end the first world war less than two weeks later with the Armistice of 11 November.
New information found on 18 May 2020 -
His name appears in the Yorkshire Regiment section of killed, in the Weekly Casualty List (War Office & Air Ministry) on Tuesday 31 December 1918.
Son of Thomas, a Cotton Weaver and Ellen, Naylors Fold in 1911
He is buried at Plot 1. Row B. Grave 12. Tezze British Cemetery, Italy
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John Whalley
Born Chorley
Killed in Action: 13 March 1916
France and Flanders
Reg no - 5929
Rank : Private
Enlisted at Manchester
"D" Coy 20 Service Battalion Royal Fusiliers
Former student of Science and Technology.
He was a colourist with Jos Cunliffe at the Calico Printers in Whittle-le-Woods.
In 1909 he enrolled as an evening student on Science and Technology courses.
His name is also commemorated at -
Manchester Municipal College of Technology Memorial in the Sackville Building, University of Manchester.
At 5pm on 12 March 1916 the 20th Service Battalion, Royal Fusiliers relieved
the 5th Scottish Rifles in the Cuinchy Section, Cambrin Support Point
Relief complete at 11.35pm.
On 13 March 1916 the enemy blew a mine at 6.15am.
Crater ETNA and GIBBONS, No casualties. Somewhere near those previously blown
mine craters (c1915)
Attack by enemy in the evening
Captain E.T Wright killed by rifle grenade, 2nd Lt T.S Pope wounded.
4 OR killed, 8 OR wounded.
(1 remaining at duty)
We hold near lip of crater.
Living at Windfield, Whittle le Woods
Effects £105 5s 10d to wife Elizabeth Whalley on 5 June 1916
Son of George and Elizabeth Whalley, of Chorley, Lancs
His father of 52 Preston Road would have this inscribed on his stone -
THROUGH DARK TO LIGHT
He is buried at Cambrin Churchyard Extension, Cambrin plot L1. 10C
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Mark Wilson
Born Blackburn
Died of Wounds: 31st March 1918
France and Flanders
Reg no - 24968
Rank: L\Cpl
Enlisted at Lancaster
8 Battalion, Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment
He married Alice Lyon on 2nd June 1902 at Christ Church, Blackburn.
As of 1916, they had children, Gladys, Albert, Ethel and Elenor. and lived at
26 Henrietta St, Blackburn.
He was a Paper Mill Labourer
Alice was living at No 3 Mount Pleasant, Rock Cottages, Whittle le Woods
as of his death
.
Enlisted on 25 August 1916
New information as of 19 May 2020-
His name is mentioned in the Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment list in the Weekly Casualty List (War Office & Air Ministry ) - Tuesday 04 June 1918 for the missing.
He died at the field hospital at Estrees on 31st March 1918
Alice would receive a war pension of 33/9 a week for herself and the four children.
He is buried at Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery
No inscription from his family
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Robert Withnell
Born Whittle le Woods
Age: 43
Reg no - ME/184
Rank: Sapper
Enlisted at Joh-Burg as a guess
South Africa
South African Mounted Engineers
Robert Withnell was 42 years old on 6 February 1917 when he was taken on strength
They embarked on HMS Profession (?) on 22 March 1917
Died of Blackwater Fever: 19 January 1918 at Mingoyo, Tanzania
Lived at Town Lane, Whittle le Woods in 1901 with his wife Rachel, and their son
Norman William Withnell
He was a Carpenter and Joiner, and Rachel was a Cotton Winder.
Husband of Rachel Withnell, of Carwood Farm, Craighall, Johannesburg, South Africa
at the time of Roberts Death in 1918
Mrs R Withnell, PO BOX 5309, Johannesburg
He is buried at Dar Es Salaam War Cemetery, Tanzania
His son Norman William Withnell born 1898 Whittle le Woods, Lancashire and would marry Kathleen Mary Cooper, who was born 24 April 1898, Pretoria, Transvaal
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