Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Sydney Arthur Weston was the youngest of his surviving siblings. His father Richard Weston born at Sacriston, district of Chester-le-Street in 1852 and mother Elizabeth Broderick in 1859 in Evenwood, both in County Durham, were married in the district of Bishop Auckland in 1879. Their son Joseph William was born and baptised, June 1st 1880 at the Primitive Methodist Church, Shotley Bridge, in 1881 they were living at Westwood Cottages, district of Lanchester, where Richard was employed as a coal miner, also in the households Elizabeth’s widowed mother, Ann Broderick. Westwood was also the birthplace of Richard Jnr, August 22nd 1881, Martha Ann, May 7th 1883, George, May 25th 1885, John Harrison, September 27th 1888, Elizabeth in 1890 and William, July 25th 1891. Their son Joseph William must had died between 1880 and 1891 although no exact date has been found. The family had remained at Westwood and Richard was now a deputy at the coal mine. Over the next 10 years their youngest two surviving children were born, Ada May in 1892 and Sydney Arthur, October 16th 1899. Richard was now assisted by his elder sons supporting the family, Richard Jnr (19) was also employed at the colliery while George (16) was a grocers' assistant, his father George Weston had come to live with them after the death of his wife Martha (nee Harrison) in 1895. By 1911 much had changed, Martha Ann had married in 1906 to John George Beckwith and was living at 66, High Westwood but had no children. Richard Jnr had married in 1907, local girl, Annie Simpson, they and their 2-year old son John Harrison were living at Greenside, Ryton, listed as visitors are Annie’s sister Eleanor Jane Simpson and a Robert Browbank Hay. George was now the eldest living at home, employed as a grocer by the Cooperative Society, John (22) and William (19) as coal miner, Sydney Arthur (11) although of school age is not listed as a scholar, his sisters Elizabeth (20) and Ada (18) assisted their mother in the home. Tragedy struck the Weston family during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1913 when their daughter Ada May died, she was 20-years of age.
Britain declared at a state of war existed with Germany, August 4th 1914, at the time, the Weston brothers, with the exception of Sydney Arthur, would have been eligible to serve, however, no records have been found. Even with the prolonging of WW1 Sydney Arthur was still too young to enlist, but telling an untruth as regards his age, he joined at Consett and was assigned as Private 75916 to the 1st/4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, a Territorial Force, Northumberland Brigade, Northumbrian Division, posted to the Tyne defences. The Territorials were split into two lines during November 1914, the 1st Line for men willing to serve overseas, the 2nd Line for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas. The 1/4th Battalion N.F. departed to France where it became part of the 149th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division, April 20th 1915. Thinking he was 19 years of age and eligible for service oversea Private Weston was posted to “B” Coy and would have joined his regiment on active service, October 1917, during the final phases of the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium.
Spring 1918 the Germans launched a new offensive on the Somme as of March 21st. As part of the 50th Northumbrian Division the 1/4th N.F. participated during the First Battle of the Somme. Private Weston was listed as missing after the first day of the Battle of Aisne, May 27th 1918, which lasted until June 6th. He had in fact been captured by the Germans in the area of Craonne and unwounded, interred at Lagers Langensalza, Thuringia, Central Germany, after a journey of circa 6 days in atrocious conditions. At Langensalza there were 3 isolation huts separate from the main camp where prisoners were held for 2 weeks in overcrowded conditions before entering the main camp. Conditions, especially sanitation, were extremely poor and prisoners survived on a died of turnip water and 160 gm of bread, the British prisoners were fortunate enough from time to time to receive Red Cross parcels.
Private 75916 Sydney Arthur Weston Northumberland Fusiliers died, “as a result of a lung infection (infolge lungenentzündung),” October 19th 1918, 3 days after his birthday and buried within Langensalza P.O.W. Cemetery No 2, map reference No 31. D. 1, row 14 grave 1266.
A letter received, November 22nd 1918, by the War Information Office, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, informed that Private Weston was a prisoner. This would have raised false hopes for his parents and family that he would eventually be released and on his way home, as the Armistice with Germany had been signed, November 11th 1918. When exactly confirmation of his death was received is unknown.
Richard Weston of Evenwood House, Hamsterley Colliery, County Durham, received all monies due to his son from the Army and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, his mother Elizabeth a pension.
In 1922-23 it was decided that the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who had died in Germany should be brought together into four permanent cemeteries, The body of Private Weston and others at Langensalza were exhumed and taken, the almost 132 kilometres, for reburial within Niederzwehren Cemetery, Kassel, Hessen, Germany, March 19th 1924. He is now at rest, grave VI. G. 16, at the time of his demise in 1918 he had just turned 19 years of age.
Richard Weston never knew the final resting place of his son as he died aged 70 years in 1922, registered in the district of Lanchester, County Durham. Elizabeth Weston nee Broderick died in 1947 aged 88-years, registered Northumberland Central.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Sydney Weston is remembered at Ebchester on E58.01 and E58.05 and at Medomsley on M36.01
