In Ovillers Military Cemetery, France is the Commonwealth War Grave for 23/722 Private William Gallon serving with the 23rd (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers who died 01/07/1916.

Derek Johnstone has provided the following:

William Gallon was born about 1884 at Choppington, Northumberland to parents Edward Gallon from Wallsend and Eleanor Gallon born at Choppington.

In 1891, the Gallon family lived at High Pit, Choppington where his father worked in the coal mines. In the house at this time were siblings Mary Lucy, 12, John Robert, 5 and Annie, 2.

William in 1901 lived at Choppington Pit as boarder in the house of his married sister Mary Lucy Houliston. William at this time was 17, single, and working underground in the coal mines as a pony driver.

In the 1911 Census he is living at First Row Choppington Colliery with his wife Mary (born 1877 Choppington) and his mother in law Sarah Carr (born 1848 Newcastle.) William is a coal miner hewer.

Military records confirm Bedlington as his birth place and he enlisted at Bedlington.

On his death his effects went to his widow Mary. William’s Pension Index Card confirms his widow to be Mary and their children were Edward and Sarah Ann.

William’s younger brother John Robert was in the same regiment with the service number 23/720 and died 25th June 1916.

William Gallon is remembered in Choppington on C36.01 and C36.04