William Kirby and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
William was born on September 30th 1881 then later baptised at All Saints Newcastle. His parents were Edward and Agnes (nee Nicholl) who married at Newcastle on December 9th 1871.
William’s siblings were Edward, Herbert, Thomas, Agnes and Annie who were all born in Newcastle. On the 1891 census it shows Edward and son John were working as gardeners but all other youngsters were at school.
In 1901 Edward senior was still working as a gardener whilst his older boys were also working by this time. The census shows that William is a house painter.
Edward senior died 1907.
The 1911 census shows William living as a boarder at 14 William Street, Newcastle with the Brown family. His trade was still as a house painter working for a company trading as Heatherington & Company.
William enlisted at Newcastle and joined the Yorkshire Regiment although no service records appear to have survived.
He was posted to the Theatre of War in the Balkans (Gallipoli) on July 14th 1915.
He died of wounds at the 17th General Hospital on September 20th 1915.
Monies due to him amounted to £4.18s.6d which was divided amongst several members of his family, each family member receiving the amount of 12 shillings and 4d. There was also a later war gratuity amounting to £3.10s.0d which went to his mother, Agnes.
William was awarded the 1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
William Alexander Dodds is remembered by the Yorkshire Regiment. Also named as one of the 82 soldiers who served with the Yorkshire Regiment who are remembered on the memorial on Terrace Green, Seaham although it is noted than no record linking him to Seaham has been found.
