Heslop's Local Advertiser
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Duffy Jnr was born at Heworth, Gateshead, County Durham, in 1889, one of 8 children, 4 sons and 4 daughters. His father William Duffy Snr native of the village of Felling Shore, Gateshead, born 1850 married at Gateshead during the 2nd quarter of 1881 to Mary Ann Mackin of Sunderland born 1861. They and their four children originally lived at Hylton, near Durham where William Snr was employed as a bricklayer’s labourer, however, by 1901 they had moved to 2 Lammas Square, Heworth. In 1911 working as a mason’s labourer their household at 21, Holly Street, Felling, was also supported by his three elder sons all of whom were still single. They were all employed as miners, William (22) as a hewer at North Biddick Colliery, Washington, his brothers Robert (18) and Frank (15) at Felling Colliery on the bank. Catherine (23) was her mother’s home help, Thomas (11) and Elizabeth (9) were scholars.
William Duffy Jnr married at Gateshead in 1912 to Mary Ann Carvin setting up home at Felling. When war broke out he enlisted there in 1914. August 22nd 1914 the first 500 recruits left the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Depot for Woking in Surrey to form the 10th Battalion. By the end of August over 2,000 men joined them to form another battalion, William was one of these men and assigned as Private 25232 Durham Light Infantry, 11th Battalion. In November 1914 they moved into huts at Pirbright where they were given blue serge uniforms along with leather gear and obsolete rifles. In January 1915 because of the amount of miners that made up the battalion they were made a Pioneer Battalion of the 20th Division, working as labourers but as and when needed they could fight as infantrymen. Khaki uniforms arrived in March 1915 and July 20th 1915 as part of the 20th Division they sailed for France, put to work behind the lines repairing roads before moving to the front line to drain the mud filled trenches and strengthen barbed wire defences.
During this work in the front line Private 25232 William Duffy Durham Light Infantry was killed in action, his body buried on the battlefield by his comrades in one of the front line cemeteries, marked with a cross bearing his name, military details and date of demise. After Armistice during the clearing of the battlefields these smaller concentrations of servicemen were exhumed and brought into larger cemeteries for permanent burial. In 1925 the body of Private Duffy was found buried in plot 2. G. 14 in one of the smaller cemeteries part of which had been destroyed during the ensuing battles. In the area his was the only cross however they found 2 bodies, which due to the passage of time proved impossible to identify individually. The joint remains were taken into Aubers Ridge British Cemetery, Nord, France and buried in a single grave upon which were raised two headstones touching one another, one bearing the details of Private Duffy the other marked as Unknown British Soldiers.
Private 35232 William Duffy Durham Light Infantry killed in action November 10th 1915 is at rest, grave VIII. B. 1. He was 26 years old.
His widow received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 52, Wesley Terrace, Felling, Gateshead, County Durham. There do not appear to have been any children born from her union with William.
Mary Ann Duffy remarried during the 3rd quarter of 1916 at Gateshead to Robert Pigg.
William’s younger brother Frank Duffy also enlisted during WW1. Aged 18 years and 11 months he was still single and living with his family at 28, Back Carlisle Street, Felling. He left his employment as a miner and enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, November 11th 1914, assigned as Private 341 to the Northumberland Fusiliers 22nd (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion. He was discharged January 6th 1915.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
His death was reported in Heslop's Local Advertiser 17/12/1915:
"Private William Duffy, 11th D.L.I., killed in action in France on November 10th, aged 25 years. Husband of Mary Ann Duffy (nee Carvin), of 52 Wesley Terrace, Felling."
