Strand Military Cemetery: Pauline Priano
Strand Military Cemetery: Pauline Priano
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
David Stothard Hall, one of 7 children, was the youngest of 4 brothers and had 3 younger sisters. His father Robert Hall born February 28th 1868 at Sunderland, County Durham, was married at Sunderland in 1890 to Ann Maria Smith, native of Ferryhill, County Durham born April 2nd 1868. Their eldest child Robert Stothard Hall was born during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1890 and died within 3 months, Ann gave birth during the 4th quarter 1891 to Stanley Stothard whilst they were living at 1, Hedworth Street, Sunderland, where Robert was employed as a blacksmith.
Over the next ten years they had a further 4 children, William Stothard born in late 1893 died in 1894 prior to his first birthday, David Stothard was born in 1895, Elizabeth, November 7th 1897 and Lilian, June 28th 1900. By 1901 they had moved into a shared property with the Pearson family at 8, Monk Street, Robert was now a foreman blacksmith. Their youngest daughter Nora Mary was born in 1905, in 1911 they were still living at Monk Street, Monkwearmouth, Robert Hall employed as a blacksmith, Stanley (19) and David (16) as apprentice engineers, all three were employed by a marine engineering company, Elizabeth (13), Lilian (10) and Nora (6) were scholars.
David enlisted at Sunderland soon after the declaration of war and was assigned as Private 3148 Durham Light Infantry to the 7th Battalion. Once mobilised Private Hall was sent with his regiment to the coastal defences. The men were split into two groups those of the 1st line Territorial Force were designated for service overseas, the 2nd line for home service. Private Hall as part of the first draft of men departed from Newcastle-upon-Tyne railway station, April 17th 1915, bound for France, having been posted to the 1st/7th Battalion, he disembarked at Boulogne, April 19th 1915. The regiment moved to the Ypres salient in Belgium and within days, without any nursery training, they were fighting as part of the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division, during the 2nd Battle of Ypres, April 22nd-May 25th 1915, where they suffered heavy losses due to shell and gas attacks at Zonnebeke and at GHQ, the last trench before Ypres itself. The 1/7th D.L.I. remained on the salient and at Armentieres and Kemmel.
Private 3148 David Stothard Hall Durham Light Infantry was killed in action, September 4th 1915 and initially buried at Epinette Road Cemetery, Houplines, France, a cross bearing his name and military details marking his grave.
After the Armistice at the request of the French and Belgian Governments smaller concentrations and isolated graves were brought into larger cemeteries. The remains of Private Hall and several others were exhumed and brought into Strand Military Cemetery, 12.5 kilometres from Ypres, Belgium, January 2nd 1920 and re-buried with military honours. Private 3148 David Stothard Hall Durham Light Infantry is at rest grave IX. D. 9. At the time of his demise in 1915 he was 20 years of age and single.
His father received from the Army the sum of 10 pounds 1 shilling 16 pence, his mother Ann as sole legitimate 12 shillings 8 pounds 19 pence. His awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal were sent to her at the family address of 8, Monk Street, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, County Durham. Robert Hall commissioned at a cost of 13 shillings 1 pence an additional inscription to be added to their son’s military headstone, it reads, “Every Day Is One Day Closer To Our Loved One Gone Before.”
Although David’s elder brother Stanley would have been eligible to serve no record has been found.
In 1939 retired blacksmith Robert Hall, his wife Ann Maria and daughter Lilian, a wages clerk at the ropery, were living at 27, Foster Street, Sunderland.
The death of Robert Hall in 1944, registered as 78 years of age, he was in fact 76, was preceded by that of his wife Ann Maria Hall nee Smith in 1941 aged 72 years, both registered in the district of Sunderland, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
David Stothard Hall is remembered at Monkwearmouth on M46.19 and at Sunderland in S140.048 part 2
