Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Sleeth was born 1901 at Pelaw, County Durham, one of 4 surviving children, 2 sons, 2 daughters (1 deceased gender unknown), the son of James Sleeth of Heworth Lane born 1880 and his wife Sarah Ann Stevenson born 1881 also at Heworth, near Gateshead, County Durham. They were married in 1899 in the district of Gateshead, James worked as a shipyard labourer whilst they were living at Reay's Buildings, Heworth, by 1911 they had moved from Heworth to 44, Bowman Street, South Shields where he now worked as a coal miner hewer at St. Hilda Pit. William was still a young child of 10 and a scholar.
William’s service record no longer exists, one of the 70% destroyed during the blitz of WW2, it is therefore impossible to know exactly when he enlisted, however, one thing is clear, William was still too young to fight overseas under Army Regulations and must therefore have lied about his age. He was assigned as Private 46223 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment which as of July 7th 1916 served as part of the 21st Division. His medal card bears no date, which indicates he joined the Battalion at the front after January 1916. The 7th Battalion as part of the 21st Division fought at the Battles of the Somme 1916, In 1917 during the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, Arras, Battles of Ypres and the Cambrai Offensive, by 1918 they were back on the Somme. Either suffering from disease or wounds, Private Sleeth was taken by Field Ambulance to the site of the 39th and 13th Casualty Clearing Station and the 41st Stationary Hospital at Gailly.
Private 46223 William Sleeth Leicestershire Regiment died at the 41st Stationary Hospital January 11th 1918 and was interred at Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery, Somme, France, grave II. A. 3. His father James commissioned the additional inscription added to his military headstone at a cost of 6 shillings and 1 pence. It reads, He Died That We Might Live”. William was 17 years old.
His mother as sole legitimate beneficiary received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at the home address of 52, Duke Street, Prelaw-On-Tyne.
Exact date of father’s death unknown, his mother Sarah Ann Sleeth died in 1967, age 86 years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
William Sleeth is remembered at Heworth on H92.03
