Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Joseph Skimmings Jnr. was born about 1896 at Egremont, Cumberland, the only son of Joseph Skimmings born June 11th 1870 at Minnigaff a village in south west Scotland and Agnes Atkinson born 1872 at Heworth, County Durham. They were married in 1895 at Whitehaven in the county of Cumberland and went on to have, a further 3 children, all daughters, born at Heworth where they had moved to, on or before 1899. Joseph Jnr’s mother died in 1905 when he was only 9 years old, the family were taken in by his uncle William Skimmings and his wife Annie living, in 1911, at 6, Back Joel Terrace, Bill Quay. Joseph Snr. was a hewer below ground at the local colliery, Joseph Jnr. only 15 years old worked above ground as a labourer/screener. His father remarried in 1912 to Emma B. Wilson.
Joseph Skimmings enlisted at Gateshead, March 29th 1915, stating he was a labourer living at 8, Ridley Place, Bill Quay, County Durham and assigned as Private 963 to the 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, joining the regiment the following day at West Hartlepool. They were moved to Cocken Hall, consisting of over 1000 men, after the departure for the front of the 18th Battalion. Cocken Hall, belonging to the Lambton family was handed over by the Earl as a training ground. Barracks, bath houses and a canteen were built to accommodate the men along with trenches and a rifle range to simulate the conditions they would find at the front. A month later they were moved to Marsham in Yorkshire and on to Salisbury Plain for final training before embarking at Southampton January 31st 1916 as part of the 106th Brigade attached to the 35th Division. The battalion was inspected by Lord Kitchener February 11th before entering the trenches for the first time at La Chapelle. Private Scimmings was taken May 3rd 1916 to the Casualty Clearing Station with a sprained ankle and three days later was admitted to the 10th General Hospital at St. Omer returning to the 35th base depot July 7th 1916 where he was transferred to the 20th Battalion, 123rd Brigade, 41st Division, joining them in the field July 16th 1916 where they were concentrated between Hazebrouck and Bailleul.
It was not until mid-September 1916 that the Division was sent to the Somme. September 15th was the beginning of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette which lasted until the 22nd. Private Skimmings was reported wounded and/or missing as of September 16th 1916 but it was not until February 18th 1917 that he was officially declared dead and presumably had died September 16th 1916.
Private 963 Joseph Skimmings Durham Light Infantry was 20 years old and single. His sacrifice is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Somme, France, pier 14A and 15C which commemorates the names of 72,246 servicemen from the British Empire who died during the battles of the Somme between 1915-1918 and have no known grave. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
At his father’s request all monies due to him were given to his stepmother Emma. Joseph Skimmings Snr. died during the 4th quarter of 1931 in the district of Gateshead, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Joseph Skimmings is remembered at Heworth on H92.03
