Heslop’s Local Advertiser
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Armstrong was born 1882 at Dipton, County Durham, he married Margaret Melburn Thornborrow born 1883 at Boyne, County Durham, in 1905 in the district of Lanchester. In 1911 they were living at Lintz Colliery where William was employed as a hewer. Margaret, known as Maggie had given birth to 4 children of whom only 3 had survived, Leslie born October 18th 1905, Mary born April 7th 1908 and Benjamin born June 26th 1910, they had a further 2 children, Jean born November 12th 1912 and William born December 28th 1914. They moved to Gateshead just before the outbreak of war.
William left his employment as a miner and enlisted at Felling, September 3rd 1914, assigned to the 7th (Service) Battalion Border Regiment as Private 14577, he joined the regiment at Carlisle the following day. The regiment trained at Andover, moved to Bovington in January 1915 and then to Winchester in June. They departed as part of the British Expeditionary Force to France, attached to the 51st Brigade, 17th (Norther) Division, July 14th 1915, landing at Boulogne on the 15th. The Division concentrated at St. Omer near the French coast and underwent trench familiarisation then took over a section of the front line in the southern part of the Ypres salient in Belgium.
Whilst in the field, October 13th 1915, Private Armstrong was court marshalled for, “conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline and theft”. Found guilty he was sentenced to 1 year imprisonment, his sentence was reduced to 3 months.
His sentence completed he was assigned leave February 1st-10th 1916, he then returned to his unit who during spring 1916 were in action near the Bluff on the Commines Canal south of Ypres in Belgium. He was wounded April 6th 1916 and taken to the 1st Canadian Casualty Clearing Station at Bailleul, an important railhead, air depot and hospital centre in France near the border with Belgium. Private 14577 William Armstrong Border Regiment died of his wounds that same day and interred at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, grave II. D. 221. He was 34 years old.
His widow Maggie received all monies due to him, a pension of 24 shillings 6 pence a week for herself and their 5 children along with his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. William’s personal belongings consisting of; 1 mirror (broken), 1 letter, 1 pair scissors, 1 comb, 1 handkerchief, 1 pipe, 1 wrist watch (broken), 1 note book, 1 rubber ring were sent to her during 1919 at the address of 24, Old Fold, Pensher Street, Gateshead, County Durham.
Maggie remarried at Gateshead in 1926 Matthew H. R. Perrot, Margaret Melburn Perrot-Armstrong nee Thornborrow died aged 46 years in 1930, death registered in the district of Gateshead.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
His death was announced in Heslop's Local Advertiser 22/4/1916:
Private William Armstrong, killed in action on April 6th, aged 34 years. Husband of Maggie Armstrong of Pensher Street, Felling.
William Armstrong is remembered at Felling on F32.06
