Ypres Town Cemetery Extension: Pauline Priano
Ypres Town Cemetery Extension: Pauline Priano
Ian Murray has submitted the following:-
Sidney and Lucy were twins born in the summer of 1885 in Dorchester, Dorset to parents George and Emma Duke. In 1891 the family were living in Gosport where George was a Serjeant in the Army. By 1901, Emma was widowed and she, and daughter Lucy, were employed as shirt makers while Sidney (aged 15) was a labourer in a mineral water factory.
There are enlistment papers for Sidney Duke born Dorchester residing Gosport 27 January 1903. Sidney was 18 years old, 5 feet 4˝ inches tall weighed 105 lbs. He had a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He was a Wesleyan Methodist. He joined the 3rd Hants Regiment at Gosport 20th March 1903 He had been a labourer at Messrs Mumby & Co of Gosport, a soft drink manufacturer.
In August 1913, Sidney was appointed a rural postman in Lanchester. (Chester-le-Street is crossed out – if he was in the town it would explain his name being on Station Road Wesleyan Methodist Chapel Stained Glass Window and Roll of Honour.) He married Lucy Sarah Higgins, from Aldershot, Hampshire, 9th November 1913 at Lanchester Wesleyan Chapel.
Sidney was probably a Reservist and was recalled at the start of the war in 1914. He served in the 2nd Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment. He embarked for France 5th October 1914 and died of wounds on November 1st 1914 aged 29. He is buried in Ypres Town Cemetery Extension.
The Headstone Inscription Record shows Sidney’s epitaph as “Not Dead but Gone before”, added by his widow, Mrs L. Sarah Perrin, Station Cottage, Buxted, Sussex. Sarah had married George Perrin in Uckfield, Sussex in 1919.
The Portsmouth Evening News 19/11/1914 reports:-
Duke - In loving memory of my dear son Sidney Duke who died from wounds received in action at Ypres, November 1st aged 28.
The Hartlepool Northern Daily News 20/11/1914 has a report which reads:-
Sidney Drake (sic) a Lanchester postman in the 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment who was wounded at the front has died in hospital. The intelligence has been officially communicated to his wife who resides near the Deanery Lanchester. Private Drake was only married some six months ago and was called up to the fighting line at the commencement of the war.
Awards: 1914 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal.
Sidney Duke is remembered at Lanchester on L62.01 L62.02 and L62.04 at Chester-le-Street on C105.06 and C105.34 and at Durham on D47.131
