Albert Tanner Preece

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Albert Preece, Dale Street, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, Lincolnshire Regiment, Park Street South, St Luke's Church

Albert was born in Wolverhampton in 1897, the son of Susan Preece. In 1901 he was living with his widowed mother and siblings Bertha, Violet, Arthur, Florence and Isaac at 27 Dale Street, Wolverhampton. On 25 December 1915, he married Florence May Preston at St Luke’s Church, Wolverhampton, and they had a son, Albert John, in December 1916.

On 9 December 1915, Albert enlisted in the Lincolnshire Regiment (number 27027). His address by then was given as 196 Park Street South, Wolverhampton, and his trade was polisher. On 20 September 1916, Albert was transferred to the King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), but he was killed in action on 3 May 1917. He is buried at the Level Crossing Cemetery in Fampoux.

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Elijah Warilow

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Battle of the Marne, Dale Street, Distinguished Conduct Medal, Elijah Warrilow, Express & Star, France, Herbert Street, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, Midland Counties Express, Royal Engineers, Royal Fusiliers, South Staffordshire Regiment, St Mary's Church

Elijah was born in Wolverhampton in 1886, the son of George Warrilow. On 16 November 1908 he married Elizabeth Cheshire at St Mary’s Church, Wolverhampton, and they had two children, Albert Edward and Selina Florence. In 1911, they were living with Elizabeth’s parents and family at 68 Herbert Street, Wolverhampton. Elijah was a tinsmith for a hollowware manufacturer. Unfortunately, both children died later that year. The couple went on to have a further two children, Elizabeth Alexandra in 1915 and Florence Lorraine in 1918.

On 24 June 1904 he enlisted in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (number 8314), by which date he was already serving in the 3rd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment. On 24 June 1908, he was transferred to the Reserves.

On the outbreak of war, he was mobilised and posted to France. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 18 October 1914. He transferred to the Royal Engineers (number 276054) in 1917.

On 2 January 1915, he is featured in the Midland Counties Express, where the article states that his bravery means that he has been recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal, as well as for a French decoration. By this date, his address is given as 51 Dale Street, Wolverhampton. The Express & Star of 6 April 1915 tells how he was presented with the Distinguished Conduct Medal by Brigadier-General Nugent at Hull.

Warilow had gone into action with his company at Le Cateau and only nine men were left. Warilow picked up a wounded man and carried him to safety, then returned, under fire to rescue a wounded sergeant of the Royal Fusiliers. Despite himself being wounded by shrapnel, he continued to do his duty, rescuing three other wounded men under fire at the Battle of the Marne, before being wounded again at La Bassee and invalided home. On the 8 April 1915, he was featured in the Express & Star again.

He was discharged on 26 March 1919, suffering from rheumatism, French fever and nephritis. He died in Wolverhampton in 1959.

Arthur Page

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Arthur Page, Belgium, British War Medal, Dale Street, East Street, France, Gordon Street, Midland Counties Express, North Midland Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, South Staffordshire Regiment, St Peter's Church, Victory Medal, Wales

Arthur was born in Wolverhampton on 7 January 1884, the son of Job and Laura Page. In 1891 they were living at 34 Gordon Street, Wolverhampton, with his siblings William Samuel, John, Job, Samuel and Sarah Louisa. Arthur was with his parents and brother Samuel at 5 East Street in 1901. Arthur had a son (Arthur Page Parton) with Olive Parton on 28 July 1905, and he married Olive in 1907. By 1911, they were living in Newport, Wales, and Arthur was an iron worker at a sheet mills.

On 13 October 1914, Arthur enlisted with the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 2557), by which date his address was given as 58 Dale Street, Wolverhampton. He was attached to the North Midland Field Ambulance (number 421329), but was killed in action in France on 25 September 1917. This was reported in the Midland Counties Express on 27 October 1917. Mrs Page received a letter from the Lieutenant-Colonel in command, who stated that Arthur was with six others when a shell fell, killing six men including Arthur. He had “many friends in the unit [who were] greatly upset…they have lost a loyal comrade…I have always valued and appreciated his work in the unit.”

Arthur’s service records state that his widow was granted a pension of 18/9 a week, and again these state that he had one child. Arthur’s identity disk was the only possession that was returned to his widow, on 22 February 1918. The British War and Victory Medals were sent on to his widow in April 1922. Arthur is commemorated at the Bridge House Cemetery in Belgium, as well as on the Royal Army Medical Corps memorial in St Peter’s Church.

 

William Joseph Nabbs

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Claverley, Dale Street, France, Herbert Street, South Staffordshire Regiment, Wolverhampton Railway Station

William was born in Claverley in 1892, the son of Joseph and Jane Nabbs. In 1901 he was living with his parents at 36 Dale Street, Wolverhampton, together with sisters Emily and Florence. By 1911, he was living with his (now married) sister and brother-in-law, Florence and Reuben Bradley, at 64 Herbert Street, with an additional sister, Maud, and brother George. William was a hawker. In 1913, he married Mary E. George in Wolverhampton, and they had a son, William J., in 1914.

William enlisted with the 2nd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 8494), disembarking on 9 November 1914. He was killed in action on 7 February 1915 and is buried at the Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, Cuinchy, France. His death was reported in the Midland Counties Express on 20 February 1915 and in the Express & Star on 26 February 1915. He is commemorated on the Wolverhampton Railway Station memorial, which presumably means that he was employed in the Goods Department at some point, but I have been unable to confirm this.