Joseph William Hill

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Bailey Street, Boy Scouts, France, Gibbs, Heath Town, Joseph Hill, Lichfield Street, Midland Counties Express, Prosser Street, South Staffordshire Regiment, St Mary's School, Zoar Street

Joseph was born in Wolverhampton on 8 October 1894, the son of George and Ann Elizabeth Hill. In 1901, they were living at 15 Prosser Street, Heath Town, Wolverhampton, along with Joseph’s siblings Eliza, George and Beatrice. Joseph attended St Mary’s School, and was later Scoutmaster of the 19th Wolverhampton group. By 1911, they were living at 36 Zoar Street, Wolverhampton, with additional children Sarah Ann, Alice and James Arthur. Joseph was working as a printer and compositor for Messrs Gibbs in Lichfield Street.

In 1915, Joseph enlisted in the 2nd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 4791 and later 40626) and became a Lance Corporal. He was wounded, and unfortunately died of these wounds on his birthday, 8 October 1918, in hospital in France. His address by then was given as 5 Bailey Street, Wolverhampton. He was featured in the Midland Counties Express on 26 October 1918. He is buried at the Grevillers British Cemetery in France.

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William Walker

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Daniel Smith Ltd, South Staffordshire Regiment, St Michael and All Angels Church, Thomas Street, William Walker, Zoar Street

William was born in Wolverhampton in 1881, the son of James and Teresa Walker. In 1901 they were living at 76 Zoar Street, Wolverhampton, alongside with William’s siblings Sarah, James, George, John, Polly, Joseph and Elizabeth. He married Ethel Careless in Wolverhampton in 1906. By 1911, he was living with his wife, and children, Elizabeth, William and Jane, at 8 Thomas Street, Wolverhampton. William was a brass dresser.

William enlisted in the 2nd/6th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 241185). He was killed in action on 18 April 1916, one hundred years ago today. He is commemorated at the Jeancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, and he may also appear on the memorial for Daniel Smith Ltd and that for St Michael and All Angels Church, Tettenhall.

Hugh Finlan

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Baker Street, Express & Star, Hugh Finlan, London Gazette, Mander Brothers Ltd, Meritorious Service Medal, Military Medal, South Staffordshire Regiment, Zoar Street

Hugh was born in Wolverhampton in 1889, the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Finlan. In 1901 they were living at 8 Zoar Street, Wolverhampton, together with Hugh’s brothers John and James, and sister, Elizabeth. He married Florence E. Sweet in Wolverhampton in 1912, and they had four children – Florence H., Vera A., Dennis and James A. – between 1913 and 1924.

Hugh enlisted with the 2nd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 7952) and became a Sergeant. He first served on 12 August 1914. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, as mentioned in the London Gazette on 17 June 1918. He was later awarded the Military Medal, which appeared in the Gazette on 16 July 1918. A small article appeared in the “Local & District News” of the Express & Star on 15 July 1918, which read the following:

Sergeant Hugh Finlan, South Staffords, whose home is at 61, Baker-street, Wolverhampton, has won the Military Medal for taking ammunition and bombs to the front line of trenches, and forming a dump within 150 yards of the front line trenches under heavy bombardment and shell fire. Sergeant Finlan has also been awarded the M.S.M. He was a reservist when war broke out. He left England with the first B.E.F. He was employed at Mander Brothers, John-street, before the war.

Hugh survived the war, and died in Wolverhampton in 1948.

Arthur Smith (1880)

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Alma Street, Arthur Smith, France, Garden Row, Great Brickkiln Street Council School, Kings Royal Rifle Corps, Midland Counties Express, Oak Street, Star Engineering Company, Zoar Street

Arthur Smith was born in Wolverhampton in 1880 and educated at Great Brickkiln Street Council School. There are two possible entries for him on the 1901 census. These are

• a grocers assistant living at 124 Alma Street together with his parents George H. and Mary Smith, his sister Alice M. and brothers Charles and Edward
• a tinman living at 44 Oak Street together with his widowed father John Smith, his sister Emma and brother Ernest

Given the fact that he at one point worked for the Star Engineering Company, the most likely option is the second one. Either way, he later married a Mary E., and they had three children, although I have been unable to confirm further details of this marriage and the children’s births. They moved to 2 Garden Row, Zoar Street.

Arthur enlisted as a Rifleman in the 7th Battalion of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps in 1915, serving five months abroad before dying in hospital on 26 January 1916. He is buried at Wimereux Communal Cemetery in France, and there is an article on him in the Midland Counties Express of 6 January 1917.

 

Harry Heath

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Germany, Harry Heath, prisoner of war, South Staffordshire Regiment, Southampton, Zoar Street

The Express & Star published a letter on 1 May 1915 from a Corporal H. Heath, who was being held prisoner in Göttingen, in Germany. It appealed as follows:

Sir, – I beg to ask you on behalf of about thirty Wolverhampton N.C.O.s and men of the 1st South Staffordshire Regiment, who are prisoners of war at Göttingen, if any gentleman, lady, or society who are collecting clothes, boots, or groceries for prisoners of war, would kindly forward some of them to be distributed amongst the prisoners here.

The prisoners are urgently in need of them, as they have been here since early November and have not receiving anything owing to most of their parents not being able to assist them. – I remain, your obedient servant,

H. HEATH, Corporal S. S. R.

Harry Heath was born in Wolverhampton on 25 December 1890. His prisoner of war records confirm that he was captured at Ypres on 26 October 1914, that he was not wounded, and was initially held at Cassel. His next of kin was given as his mother, who lived at 15 Zoar Street.

There was a further letter from Harry published in the Express & Star in August 1915. This time it was writing in response to a list of missing men, stating that it had been posted up in the prisoner of war camp, but nobody had any information regarding those men.

He was moved around a bit, and by 1918 he had been wounded in the head. On 25 November 1918 he was repatriated, and was among a list of prisoners of war who had arrived in Southampton. He was listed as “severely sick” and taken to King George’s Hospital in London. He appears to have recovered, as I have not been able to find a record of his death.

Benjamin Shaw

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Alma Street, Benjamin Shaw, Dardanelles, Express & Star, South Staffordshire Regiment, Turkey, Zoar Street

Benjamin Shaw was born in Wolverhampton in 1890, the son of Benjamin and Mary Shaw. In 1901, the family were at 97 Alma Street, together with Benjamin’s brothers Arthur H. H., John, Percy and William, and sister Florence. He married Margaret Thomas in 1911, and the couple went on to have two children, Dorothy and Edward, in 1913 and 1914.

Benjamin enlisted in the 7th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 9801). He fought at the Dardanelles, and was reported wounded and missing on 9 August 1915. A notice asking for information appeared in the Express & Star on 3 February 1916, when his wife’s address was given as No 3 Garden Row, Zoar Street. Unfortunately, it appears that he died on this date, at the age of 24. He is commemorated at the Helles Memorial in Turkey. He may also appear on the St Paul’s Church War Memorial.

Mark Martin

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Brickkiln Street, Compton Street, France, Jeddo Street, Mark Martin, Midland Counties Express, South Staffordshire Regiment, West Yorkshire Regiment, Zoar Street

Under the Midland Counties Express “Pictorial Roll of Honour” that appears on 18 November 1916, there is an entry for a Sergeant Martin, which reads as follows:

A Former Wolverhampton Worker

Up to the time of enlisting, in November, 1914, Sergeant Martin worked at Messrs. Orme, Evans’, Brickkiln-street, Wolverhampton. He lived at 35, Compton-street, near the works, and joined up with the South Staffords, where he was promoted to the rank of corporal. Dangerously wounded in the abdomen, Martin slowly recovered and was subsequently transferred to the West Yorkshire Regiment, in which he unfortunately met his death. While serving his King and country in that regiment Martin was promoted to the rank of sergeant. Twenty-four years of age, he had only been married since May 7th of the present year.

The marriage of Mark Martin to Elsie M. Bonegal was registered in Wolverhampton in June 1916. A search of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site reveals that the only man with the surname “Martin” who was also a sergeant in the West Yorkshire Regiment was a Lance-Serjeant M. Martin, who was killed on 12 September 1916, so presumably this is the same man.

Mark Martin was born in Wolverhampton in 1892, the son of Mark and Emily Martin. In 1901 they appear at 75 Zoar Street, along with Mark’s brother William and sisters Mary, Sellina, Margaret, Emily and Sarah. In 1911, the family are at 13 Jeddo Street, and Mark and his parents are joined by his brother William and sister Emily. Mark is listed as a General Labourer.

When in the South Staffordshire Regiment, Mark’s service number was 15662; this became 31403 when he joined the 22nd Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment. He is commemorated at the Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt, France.