Arras Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Joseph Snow was born March 17th 1893 in West Stanley, County Durham, one of 6 children, 2 boys, 2 girls and 2 deceased (gender unknown), born to coal miner Joseph Snow Snr. 1859 Tanfield, County Durham and Frances Eliza Watt born 1863 in London. In 1901 they were living at 27 Middle Street, Stanley moving by 1911 to 9, John Street, Craghead where Joseph Jnr. at the age of 18 worked along with the other men in the family at the pit, he was an assistant at the shaft bottom.
Joseph Snow enlisted March 23rd 1915 and was assigned as Private 3638 Deal Battalion Royal Navy Medical Unit R.N. Division. Whilst on leave he married Eleanor Martha Hetherington in the district of Lanchester before being drafted June 26th 1915 as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force that disembarked almost one month later in Gallipoli. Joseph was attached to the 3rd R. N. Field Ambulance, 63rd Division, from July 18th to December 1st 1915. Transferred to the 2nd R. N. Field Ambulance he embarked in Mundros, Greece, April 18th 1916 disembarking in Marseille May 23rd after which he was detached to the Royal Navy Division Base Depot at Etaples until December 1916 when he re-joined the 2nd R. N. Field Ambulance. The R. N Field Ambulance like its military counterpart were never far from the front line. The 63rd Royal Naval Division in early 1917 saw operation on the Ancre and during the Second Battle of the Scarpe, April 23-24th 1917, a phase of the Arras Offensive, in which the Division captured Gavrelle.
Private Deal/3638 Royal Marines Medical Unit, R. N. D. was killed or died as a direct result of enemy action, April 22nd 1917. He was 24 years old. His sacrifice is recorded, Bay 1 of the Arras Memorial to the Missing, Pas de Calais, France which commemorates the 34,785 officers and men of the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between spring 1916 and August 7th 1918, who have no known grave.
His widow received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their child and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to 32 William Street, Craghead.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest in Peace.
Joseph Snow is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 C120.02 and C120.04 and in Gateshead on G39.030
