Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Ward born 1883 in Kyo, County Durham, a coal miner-hewer, married widow Ellen Bell nee Watt, born 1867 of High Rows, County Durham, September 1903 in the district of Lanchester. Ellen was 16 years his senior and had 2 boys and 2 girls from her previous marriage, they went on to have a further 2 children together, John Ward born 1905 and Edward Ward born 1907.
William Ward enlisted at Stanley in 1914 assigned as Private 10132 Durham Light Infantry, transferred to the 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers as Private 21166. During his training he passed to the 27th Reserve Battalion, the 16th Service Battalion and was drafted to France June 1st 1916 with the 1st/4th Northumberland Fusiliers, 149th Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division. The Division fought on the Somme during 1916 on the Ancre and Thiepval Ridge, 1917 during the phases of the Third Battle of Ypres at Pilkem Ridge, Langemark, Menin Road, Polygon Wood and the Second Battle of Passchendaele. November 1917 the German High command decided to make a decisive attack the following spring, their target was to destroy the British Army. They believed the British were exhausted by the four major efforts made during 1917. By mid-February they had moved divisions from the Eastern Front to the west. Their plan, to push back the British Army to the Flanders coast thus trapping it. The 4th Battalion engaged the Germans during the First Battles of the Somme at St. Quentin, the First Battle of Bapaume and the Battle of Rosieres 26-27th March 1918.
It is recorded that Private 21166 William Ward Northumberland Fusiliers died of wounds March 27th 1918 although he has no known grave. His sacrifice is recorded on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France, panel 16-18, which commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of South Africa who died on the Somme from March 21st to August 7th 1918. The C.W.G.C. record he was 38 years old he was in fact 36.
His widow Ellen received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, sent to 42, Standerton Terrace, Craghead, County Durham. Ellen Ward died aged 67, December 1934, in the district of Lanchester, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
William Ward is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 and C120.04
