Kitswell Road
Thiepval Memorial
Ian Murray has submitted the following:-
This house on Kitswell Road, Lanchester was, in about 1909, opened as a Working Men’s Club and the 1911 census records that the manager was John McElhatton (born in Blyth) assisted by his wife Annie (born in Willington). His daughter Rosanna was a vocalist/pianist and their son Joseph (born in 1896) was a telegraph messenger for the Post Office. In 1901 the family lived at The Mill in Lanchester and by the end of the war they were living on Front Street.
Joseph volunteered at Consett on 27th October 1914 aged 19. At his medical on the following day he was recorded as 5 feet 5½ inches tall and weighed 9 stone. He had dark brown hair, grey eyes and a sallow complexion and by then he was a motor mechanic.
He was posted in this country on the 11 November 1914 and served until 25 August 1915 when he was posted to France. By this time, he was a Lance Corporal, but on 1st September 1915 lost his stripe due to neglect of duty and failure to comply with an instruction. He spent quite some time in hospital at Wimereux and Boulogne. He was killed in action in the Somme area on 29th July 1916. He has no known grave and is remembered on the memorial at Thiepval.
The Stanley News 31/08/1916 reports:-
Official news has been received by Mr and Mrs Jn. McElhatton, Front Street Lanchester that their only son, Pte. Jos. McElhatton was killed in action on 29 July aged 19.
Awards: 1915 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal.
Joseph McElhatton is remembered at Lanchester on L62.01 L62.02 L62.04 and L62.07
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 197
