Newhouse Cemetery
105385 Private
W. Hanley
Royal Fusiliers
6th July 1919 Age 38
Of Your Charity
Pray For His Soul
Mary Queen Of Martyrs
Pray For Him.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Hanley was the youngest of 8 siblings, 2 sons and 5 daughters born to Peter Hanley and his wife Ellen, who were married in Ireland, where they were born in 1819 and 1821 respectively. Having left Ireland, they settled at Crook, County Durham, where their daughter Mary was born in 1852, Ellen 1853, Bridget 1854, Catherine 1855 and Ann 1857. In 1861 they were living at Holmes, Crook and Billy Row where Peter was employed as a labourer. By 1871 they had moved to Esh Winning where despite her age, at 52 years, Ellen gave birth to Thomas, also Eliza in 1877 and finally William in 1881. When Ellen Handley died in 1891, aged 69 years, her widower Peter was living at 1, Ridley’s Cottages, Hedley Hope, listed in error as the grandfather to Thomas Hanley (20), employed as a coal miner, listed as head of the household, also Catherine (36), Eliza (14) and William (9). To increment the household income, they had taken in a lodger, 40-year-old coal miner, James Smith.
William’s youngest sister Eliza was married in 1898 to John William Coates, by 1911 they were living at 13, Railway Terrace, Quebec with their 7 children. Lodging with them was William now aged 21 and employed as a coke drawer, as was his brother-in-law.
Although war with Germany was declared in 1914 William did not enlist until 1915 when he joined the Northumberland Fusiliers at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland as Private 19242. Posted to the 8th (Service) Battalion he joined his regiment in France where they had been recalled from the defence of the Suez Canal, Egypt, departing Alexandria, July 3rd 1916, as reinforcements to the Battles of the Somme. Private Hanley was later posted to the 16th Battalion and the 1/4th Battalion, however, in the absence of his military record it is impossible to know his exact movements, although, both battalions took part in action in the same sectors, during 1917 at Arras and the Hindenburg Line and returned to the Somme when the Germans attacked again on that front, March 21st 1918.
Private Hanley was transferred, date unknown, with a change of service number, to the 967th Army Employment Company, Labour Corps as Private 577518, considered medically unfit for front line duties either as having been wounded or more probably due to ill health and would have been permanently located in a specific area undertaking routine tasks, as they were not fully mobile.
Between May and September 1918 the 43rd and 44th (Garrison) Battalions of the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) were formed, again consisting of men rated below A1. He was transferred to the 43rd Battalion as Private GS105385.
Due to ill health Private GS105385 William Henley Royal Fusiliers was repatriated and admitted to Bermondsey Military Hospital, Ladywell Road, London where he died of consumption, July 6th 1919.
The Army organised, at the request and at the expense of his family, that his body be brought home to County Durham. Private Henley is at rest in the South-West part of Newhouse (Queen of Martyrs) Roman Catholic Cemetery, one of 4 Commonwealth casualties.
William had nominated his sister Emily as his sole beneficiary. She received all monies due to him and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, sent to her at 14, Railway Terrace, Hamsteels, County Durham. Emily commissioned and paid 16 shillings 11 pence for an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “Of Your Charity Pray For His Soul Mary Queen Of Martyrs Pray For Him.”
Private Hanley was 38 years of age and single, his death had been preceded by that of his eldest sister Mary Simpson nee Hanley in 1915 aged 63 years, district of Lanchester, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
William Hanley is remembered at Cornsay on C116.01 and at Esh Winning on E67.03 and E67.07
