This Cross was erected by the people of Unsworth
as a token of deep gratitude to those
who laid down their lives in the
Great War
1914-1918 A.D.
"Greater love hath no man than this".
John ALLEN Still Searching.
Herbert ASHWORTH Private in the Lancashire Fusiliers 1st/5th Battalion, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. Died 3rd September 1917. Buried at Aeroplane Cemetary, Belgium. Service Number: 204514. Son of Sidney and Susy Ann Ashworth of 20 Marlborough Street, Heywood, Lancashire. Exploits of the 42nd Division:
James APPLEBY Driver in the Royal Field Artillery "C" Battery, 149th Brigade. Died 15th October 1916 age 19. Buried at Thiepval Memorial Cemetary. Service Number: 10089. Son of Richard and Sarah Appleby of 3 Prospect Place, Hollins, Whitefield. He was in the 50th (Northumbrain) Division (a Territorial Force) which moved to France 16th April 1915. Activities of the 50th Division:
Richard APPLEBY Private in the Lancashire Fusiliers, 5th Battalion. Died 24th October 1918 age 23. Buried at Unsworth North Methodist Chapel. Son of Richard and Sarah Appleby of 3 Prospect Place, Hollins, Whitefield. In the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. Click here for exploits of the 42nd Division Richard was killed the day before the end of The Battle of the Selle, which lasted from the 17th - 25th October 1918.
Tom ARMITAGE Private in the Lancashire Fusiliers. Died 7th December 1918 age 34. Buried in Unsworth St. George Churchyard Extension. Service Number: 13181. Husband of Rebecca Armitage of 58 Hollins Lane, Unsworth. I assume Tom was in the 42nd division Click here for exploits of the 42nd Division However, he died after the Battle of the Selle, possibly with another Division as the 42nd was reduced by then.
Photo of Unsworth St. George:
Alfred BERRY Private in the Lancashire Fusiliers, 11th Battalion, 25th Division. Died 11th July 1916 age 20. Buried at Thiepval Memorial Cemetery. Service Number: 28447. Son of Fred and Annie Berry of 267 Hollins Lane, Whitefield. The 25th division attached to the 74th Brigade in September 1914.
Arnold BOOTH Still Searching
Harry BRADSHAW Born 1888/9 Hollins. Private in the Lancashire Fusiliers, 20th Battalion, 35th Division. Died 24th October 1917 age 29. Buried at Tyne Cot Memorial Cemetery. Service Number: 24473. Husband of Annie Bradshaw of "Holme Lea", Bury New Road, Whitefield. 20th Battalion formed in Salford on 23rd March 1915. In August they attached to the 10th Brigade and became part of the 35th Division. Actions of the 35th Division:
Robert BROWN Still Searching.
Percy BUCK Private in the Lancashire Fusiliers 2nd/5th Battalion, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. Died 28th June 1916 age 20. Buried at Arras Memorial Cemetery. Son of Walter and Bertha Buck of 21 Roach Street, Blackford Bridge, Bury. Click here for exploits of the 42nd Division. Percy was killed in between the Battles of Arras (finished 5th April) and Albert (began 21st August).
Jack BUTTERWORTH Still Searching.
Tom CALDERBANK Still Searching.
Fred CALDERBANK Private in the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry). Died 20th April 1921 age 26. Buried in Unsworth St. George Churchyard Extension. Service Number: 50924. Son of Louis and Mary Calderbank of 67 Chapel Lane, Unsworth.
William Rothwell CONSTERDINE Serjeant in the Lancashire Fusiliers, 1st/5th Battalion, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. Died 7th August 1915. Buried at Helles Memorial Cemetery.
Fred COURTNEY Serjeant in the Lancashire Fusiliers, 1st/7th Battalion, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. Died 18th June 1917. Buried at Fins New British Cemetery, Sorel-Le-Grand. The 1st/7th Battalion formed in Salford in 1914. Click here for exploits of the 42nd Division. Fred was killed at Havrincourt, four months after arriving on the Western Front.
Walter R. ECKERSALLLance Corporal in the East Lancashire Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 8th Division (primarily). Died 20th November 1917 age 28. Buried at Tyne Cot Memorial Cemetery, Belgium. Service Number: 29593. Son of James Thomas and Selina Eckersall of 680 Manchester Road, Bury. Actions of the East Lancashire Regiment:
Frank ECKERSLEY Born 1895/6 Unsworth. Still Searching
James William ECKERSLEY Private in the Lancashire Fusiliers, 5th Battalion, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. Died 19th July 1918 age 29. Buried at Unsworth Methodist Church. Click here for exploits of the 42nd Division. James died in between the Battle of Arras (ended 5th April) and The Battle of Albert (21st - 13rd August).
Frank FIELDING Born 1894/5 Radcliffe. Second Lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers 1st/7th Battalion, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. Died 4th October 1917. Buried at Tyne Cot Memorial Cemetery, Belgium. Click here for exploits of the 42nd Division. Frank died before the First Battles of the Somme, probably at Givenchy where they had been hepling with the construction of concrete defence works.
Albert FITTON Still searching.
Tom Taylor FITTON Private in the East Lancashire Regiment, 8th Battalion, 37th Division. Died 6th October 1917. Buried at Tyne Cot Memorial Cemetery, Belgium. Service Number: 38661. Son of Emily Fitton of 25 Hollins Vale, Whitefield and the late Albert Fitton.
Harold FOSTER Born 1896/7 Pendleton. Still Searching.
Tom GREENHALGHStill Searching.
Norman Wood GREENHALGH Lance Serjeant in the Lancashire Fusiliers "A" Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Division. Died 28th March 1918 age 27. Buried at Arras Memorial Cemetery. Son of Joseph and Harriet Greenhalgh of 276 Hollins Lane, Whitefield. Details of the 4th Division:
Robert HASLAM Second Lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers, 12th Battalion, 22nd Division. Died 29th March 1918. Buried at Sarigol Military Cemetery. Son of Anderson and Annie Haslam of The Pole, Unsworth.
William HEYWOOD Private in the Lancashire Fusiliers, "A" Company, 10th Battalion, 25th Division. Died 22nd December 1915 age 22.Buried at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Cemetery. Service Number: 4083. Son of Herbert and Emma Heywood of Sykes Avenue, Unsworth.
William Edward HEYWOOD Private in the Lancashire Fusiliers, 2nd/5th Battalion, 55th (West Lancashire) Division. Died 9th April 1918 age 27. Buried Loos Memorial Cemetery. Service number: 202861. Son of Alfred and Mary Ann Heywood of 371 Ivy Bank, Hollins Lane, Whitefield.
Herbert HOLMES Born 1893/4 Horwich, in Unsworth in 1901. Still Searching.
William HOLT Born 1891/2 Prestwich. Still Searching.
Joseph HOLT Stiil Searching.
John HOWARTH Still Searching.
George JACKSON Still Searching.
William JACKSON Born 1885/6 Unsworth. Working in Telephone service in 1901 at Unsworth. Private in the East Yorkshire Regiment, 11th Battalion, 31st Division. Died 12th July 1918 aged about 32. Buried at Petillion Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. Son of William and Ellen Jackson of 365 Ivy bank, Hollins, Whitefield.
Tom A. KAY Born 1899/1900 Unsworth. Still Searching.
Fred KIRKMAN Born 1894/5 Unsworth. Serjeant in the Lancashire Fusiliers, 1st/5th Battalion, 42nd Division. Died 15th October 1918 age 23. Buried at Brest (Kerfautras Cemetery). Service Number: 200491. Son of William and Harriet Annie Kirkman of Unsworth. Click here for exploits of the 42nd Division. Fred died at the Selle before the battle started on 15th October 1918.
Henry LLOYD Still Searching.
William H. McMAHON Private in the Lancashire Fusiliers, 1st/5th Battalion, 42nd Division. Died 13th January 1918. Buried at Gome Britsih and Indian Cemetery. Service Number: 201417. Son of Mr W. McMahon of 95 Park lane, Whitefield. Click here for exploits of the 42nd Division. William was killed at Givenchy (which was heavily mined), whilst helping to construct concrete defence works.
George MARSAHLL Still Searching.
Humphrey MASSEY Born 1897/8 Unsworth. Private in the Machine Gun Corps (infantry), 49th Company. Died 25th April 1918. Buried at Tyne Cot Memorial Cemetery, Belgium. Service Number: 58669. Still searching for his Division.
Fred MATHER Born 1892/3 Hollins. Serjeant in the Lincolnshire Regiment, 2nd Battalion. Died 20th September 1918. Service Number: 32963. Awarded MM. Husband of E.A. Mather of "The Nook" Abden Street, Radcliffe.
John MELLOWES Still Searching.
John MOORE Still Searching.
Arthur REDFORD Still Searching.
Percy REDFORD Born 1896/7 Unsworth. Private in the South Wales Borderers, 2nd Battalion. Died 11th July 1916. Buried in Unsworth St. George Churchyard Extension. Service Number: 25147. Actions of the 2nd Battalion:
James ROBERTS Born 1888/9 Unsworth. Still Searching.
Alfred SHEPARD Still Searching.
Samuel SNAPE Still Searching.
Jack TAYLOR Born 1894/5 Unsworth. Still Searching.
Russell TAYLOR Still Searching.
Fred WALKER Born 1886/7 Unsworth. 1901 Plaiter at Bleachworks. Still Searching.
George WALKER Born 1890/1891 Unsworth. Still Searching.
Harry WALKER Born 1885/6 Unsworth. 1901 Dryers Labourer at Bleachworks.
Roland WARBURTON Born 1894 Unsworth (my Great Great Uncle). Lance Bombardier in the Royal Field Artillery, 211th Brigade, "C" Battery, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. Died Monday 21st October 1918 age 24. Buried at St. Aubert British Cemetery, Nord, France. Service Number: 706592. Son of Fred Warburton and Hannah (nee Fitton) of Number 1 Pole Lane, Unsworth. Click here for exploits of the 42nd Division. Roland was killed near the end of the Battle of the Selle in October 1918. From my Grandmother: "Roland was a really nice person and I know why he would have gone. In the old days there was nothing in Unsworth - Nothing going on. Anyhow, for a young man aged 20 in 1914, whose peers were all volunteering, it seemed an exiting thing to do. An opportunity to travel, as people just didn't in those days, so he volunteered too. His Mother was heartbroken when he died and my Mother Elsie said that's what killed her. She was in her sickbed and watched them putting up the War Memorial at Unsworth Pole. She died in 1923 and is buried at Unsworth St. George. Roland passing was terrible for another reason too: In those days it was a big deal to have a son, as the eldest son inherited everything. Roland was the only son (two sisters) and there was his Fathers business, with nobody to take it over (The Smithy on Pole Lane). Roland was close to my Mother Elsie and I have some postcards that Roland sent to Elsie from Alexandria, Egypt. Also, it was such a shame, as Roland had the business there waiting for him. When I was a young girl, it was not at all unusual to see all these men with legs and bits missing. They'd been in the war and when they returned there was no work for them, or they were too disabled (work would be heavier then). I use to see ex-soldiers standing at Victoria Station when my Mother used to take me to Manchester. They would be selling matches and such like. This was because there was no Welfare State, nothing to rely on at all. And there was Roland, with all he had to come back to and he would probably have gone over the top and died. And that was a horrible place to go - the trenches."
Photo of St Aubert's British Cemetery:
Alfred WARBURTON Born 1891/2 Radcliffe, in Unsworth 1901. Probably the son of John Warburton, also of Radcliffe and in Unsworth in 1901. It's very likely that he was related somehow to Roland (above) as both their Father's were Blacksmiths and worked together. Still Searching.
Ellis WHARMBY Still Searching.
John WOOD Still Searching.
Philip WORRALL Born 1881/2 Unsworth. In 1901 "Crozser" at bleach works. Private in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 1st Battalion. Died 9th August 1918 age 35. Buried at Calvetto British Cemetery, Italy. Son of the late Henry and Mary Worrall of 199 Park View, Unsworth.
Soldiers who died in the 2nd World War:
Sidney ELSTON Trooper in the Royal Armoured Corps, 4th Queen's Own Hussars. Died 26 April 1941 age 22. Buried at Athens Memorial Cemetery, Greece. Service Number: 7899641. Son of James and May Elston of Hollins Vale, Lancashire.
Alfred MAXWELL Leading Seaman, Royal Navy, H.M.S Armadillo. Died 22nd May 1943. Commemorated at Portsmouth Naval Memorial, no known grave. Service Number: P/JX 161055. Son of William and Annie Maxwell of Whitefield.
Harry PICKLES First Radio officer, Merchant Navy, S.S. Blairatholl (Glasgow). Died 27th November 1942 age 38. Commemorated at Tower Hill Memorial, London, no known grave. Son of Tom and Leah Pickles of Unsworth, Lancashire.