Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Daniel born 1882 at Church Fenton, near Leeds, Yorkshire, was the 3rd born of 4 sons and had sister Mary Elizabeth the eldest and Alice the youngest. His father, agricultural labourer, John Daniel Snr born 1840, native of Church Fenton, married at St. John the Baptist Church, Kirkby Wiske, November 25th 1862 to Mary Ramsdale born 1844, the second born child of agricultural labourer Ralph Ramsdale and his wife Mary.
William Daniel was part of the Militia, 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment when he enlisted September 7th 1900 at Richmond in Yorkshire assigned as Private 6358. He remained in England transferred initially to Sheffield then moved to Portsmouth where he was passed fit for foreign service January 6th 1901. April 11th 1902 he was sent to South Africa to join his Regiment fighting the Boers, returning to England November 6th 1902 where he enlisted for a further 5 years with the colours until he was posted to the Reserve in 1908.
He left Yorkshire moving to the coal fields of County Durham where he was married May 15th 1909 at St. Jude’s Church, South Shields, County Durham, to Susannah Kemp, born at Tyne Dock, South Shields in 1887 and with whom he had an only daughter Gertrude Ellen, known as Nellie, born July 23rd 1910 at Chester-le-Street. Living in 1911, in 3 rooms, at Black House Terrace, Pelton, County Durham, William was employed as a screener above ground for a local colliery owner. Unfortunately, his wife Susannah died during the 1st quarter (Jan/Feb/Mar) 1913 aged 26 years leaving William with infant Nellie only 3 years of age. Between 1911 and 1913 he was in the employ of Carlton Iron Works, he and his family lived at 21, Lowson Street, Stillington.
On the outbreak of war with Germany he was recalled to the colours August 5th 1914 assigned as Private 6358 Yorkshire Regiment and transferred to the 2nd Battalion departing as part of the British Expeditionary Force, November 12th 1914, as reinforcement to what was left of the 2nd Battalion defending Ypres in Belgium and the channel ports from German attack, subjected day and night to continual attacks.
Private Daniel’s time on active service was brief as he was invalided back to England January 22nd 1915 suffering from nephritis (kidney disease) which had begun shortly after his duty began in the trenches. He underwent a medical examination at the 1st Western General Hospital, Fazakerley, Liverpool where his condition was attributed to chill, exposure and hardship sustained in the trenches whilst on active service. Private 6358 William Daniel was discharged from the Army May 5th 1915 under King’s Regulations 392(xvi), “no longer physically fit for war service” and without obligation to be examined further he was awarded silver badge No.B175539 and allowed to return to civilian life.
William died within four months of his discharge, September 27th 1915 and was buried with military honours at Yarm Cemetery, Yorkshire, grave C1. G.B. He was 33 years old. Recipient of the Queen’s South Africa Clasp, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
William and Susannah’s daughter Gertrude Ellen never married, she died in 2006 aged 96 years registered at Stockton, County Durham.
The possibility exists that William remarried during the 4th quarter of 1913 to Sarah Ann Latham, as yet unproven.
The memorial cross at Stillington dedicated to the men of Carlton Iron Works in error lists William under the surname of Daniels, he is correctly listed as Private Daniel by the CWGC.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
William Daniel is remembered at Stillington on S137.01 and S137.02 and at Yarm on Y1.03 and Y1.06
