The Sunderland Echo 15/10/1914 carries the following article:
New Herrington Hero
Buried with full military honours
Yesterday afternoon the funeral took place with military honours at St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, West Herrington, of Private Samuel Coffee, (sic Coffey) a member of the Black watch, who died in hospital in Cambridge from wounds received at Rheims. There was a large attendance. The deceased, who was 28 years of age, and leaves a widow but no family, was a reservist, and for several years worked in pits in the Herrington district. On the outbreak of war he was called to the colours, and went to the Continent with the British Expeditionary Force. At the battle of Rheims he was struck by a bullet. He had been away from England for about nine weeks, and was in hospital for more than a fortnight.
The coffin was covered with the Union jack as a pall, and about 120 men of the 2nd Battery of the 3rd Northumbrian Reserve Brigade, R.F.A. (Territorials), from Silksworth, under the command of Lieut. C.R. Common, attended.
Eight members from the Brigade acted as bearers, and carried the body from the hearse to the church. The coffin was first taken into St. Aidans Church, New Herrington, where the service was conducted by the vicar (the Rev R.A. Parr). The church was crowded. The service was choral, and the organist ( Mr F. Duke) played the “Dead March”. Large crowds of people lined the route along which the procession passed. There was a large number of beautiful floral tributes.
Samuel Coffey is remembered at Herrington onH137.06
