Thiepval Memorial
William Cassy
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Cassy was born 1892 at Hebburn, County Durham one of 9 children of whom only 8 survived, 7 sons and a daughter. His father, a ship plater, George Pearson Cassy and mother Alice Devine were both natives of Hebburn born 1874, they married in the district of Gateshead in 1891. Ten years later living at 9, Gosforth Terrace ,Heworth they had 5 children, by 1911 the family was complete, their 3 eldest boys, William (18), George (17) and John (15) were all employed at the shipyards, they now lived at 12 Gosforth Terrace.
William Cassy married during the 4th quarter of 1911, in the district of Gateshead, Martha Simon, a local girl born May 1st 1891, she gave birth to their daughter Nellie, May 21st 1912 and a son William Simon, September 18th 1914.
Prior to the onset of WW1 William had spent 4 years serving in the Territorial Force of the Royal Army Medical Corps whilst he was serving his apprenticeship as a plater at Wood Skinner & Co. Ltd., Bill Quay, on the Tyne. He enlisted at Felling, April 22nd 1913, stating he was 20 years and 10 months old living at 30, Coxon Street, Bill Quay and informed them he could take up service once he turned 21 as his apprenticeship would be complete. He was embodied August 5th 1914, assigned as Private 1549 to “E” Coy, 1st/9th Battalion (Territorial Force) Durham Light Infantry. It was not until April 20th 1915 that he embarked at Folkestone with the regiment disembarking at Boulogne. Appointed unpaid Lance Corporal in the field, July 1915, whilst the battalion was attached to the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division engaged during the Second Battle of Ypres by December he was Acting Corporal. February 26th 1916 he received a gunshot wound to the face, detached from the battalion he was taken by the Field Ambulance to the hospital centre at Etaples for treatment returning to active service by the 31st and reverted to Lance Corporal when he rejoined the battalion in Belgium. He was demoted to the rank of Private having been found guilty of drunkenness for which he risked a sentence of 2 years imprisonment and a fine of 1 pound, this was commuted to the loss of 3 month's pay. The 1st/9th Battalion April 1916 was attached to the 2nd Army and moved to France in preparation for the forthcoming Battles of the Somme although they did not take part in any major battles until September 15th-22nd 1916 at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette.
Private 1549 William Cassy Durham Light Infantry was killed in action on the second day of battle, September 16th 1916. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 72,246 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, pier and face 14A & 15B, which commemorates servicemen from the British Empire who died on the Somme 1915-1918 and who have no known grave. He was 24 years old.
His widow Martha received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their three children of 26 shillings 6 pence a week, as she had given birth to their third son William, who William Snr. never knew, on October 31st 1916, six weeks after his demise and also his awards the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Their daughter Nellie married Frederick A. Taylor in 1937 at Worthing, Sussex and died aged 93 years in 2005 at Lewes, Sussex. Thomas Simon Cassy died in 2010, aged 96 years resident in Kent. William Cassy married in 1945 to Jane Barrass and died in the district of Cleveland in 1994, aged 78 years.
Martha remarried in the district of Gateshead in 1923 to Andrew Rankin Thompson born August 23rd 1899 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and with whom she had 2 children Jane 1924-1997 and Ronald 1928-1985. Andrew Thompson died in 1986 aged 87 years, Martha Thompson-Cassy nee Simon died aged 96 years in 1987, both deaths registered in the district of Worthing, Sussex.
William is listed by the CWGC under the surname Cassey although both he and his brother George used the same spelling of Cassy when they enlisted. George was assigned as Private 17981 Yorkshire Regiment. He was killed in action September 29th 1915 during the Battle of Loos. Awards 1914/15 Star British War Medal and Victory medal. He was 21 years old and single.
William and George’s mother Alice Cassy nee Devine of 10, Duke Street, Pelaw, County Durham, died aged 69 years, April 7th 1942, leaving the sum of 607 pounds 0 shillings 10 pence to her husband. George Pearson Cassy of the same address died April 5th 1943 leaving all his effects in the sum of 453 pounds 9 shillings 3 pence to his only daughter, Olive Falconer, (wife of John Baden Powell Falconer).
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
William Cassy is remembered at Felling on F32.06 and as William Cassey at Heworth on H92.03
