In Selby Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave with a private headstone of Captain Norman McLeod Dryden, serving with the “A ” Company 1st/6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers who died 23/11/1915.

The headstone reads:
In
Loving
Memory
Norman McLeod Dryden
of North Shields
Captain 1st 6th Batt.
Northumberland Fusiliers
wounded at St. Julien
26th April 1915
died at Selby 23rd November 1915
aged 34 years.

He was the son of Herbert Douglass Dryden and Alice Dryden, of 6, Preston Village, North Shields

He is named in the Scout Roll of Honour 1914-18 as having been a District Scoutmaster.

He was wounded at St. Julien on April 1915.  He later caught meningitis and died at his brother’s house at Selby.

An article in an unidentified publication says:
Last month there was possibly only the briefest mention of Capt. Norman Dryden’s “Passing”, which took place just as we went to press.  This month another column describes his burial and our memorial services.  What more can be said?  Only this, that his influence for good can never be measured in this world.  Many a mother thanks God for Norman Dryden, and sorrows at his death.  To few men is it given to wield such influence over lads; but we trust that his influence will still be a powerful memory amongst them; and we can only hold to our belief that God’s way is best, ‘however dark it may seem’,  Some day we will understand.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

Norman McLeod Dryden was one of 5 children of whom only 4 survived, offspring of Herbert Douglas Dryden and Alice Robinson.

Herbert Douglas Dryden was born in Cowpen, Northumberland in 1846, his father Benjamin Dryden was a coal fitter/agent, brokering the sale of coal to shippers. In 1851 he and his wife Julia (McLeod), Herbert and his two siblings were living at Waterloo Place, in the township of Cowpen and were employing two servants. 

Herbert first met his future wife Alice Robinson who was born at Blyth Northumberland in 1845 and the daughter of master mariner William and Mary Anna Robinson, as their families were neighbours at Waterloo Place before the Dryden family transferred to Jesmond in the suburbs of Newcastle upon Tyne. 

Herbert and Alice settled at North Shields, the birthplace of all their children. Alice Mary Dryden was born in 1876, Herbert Douglas Jnr, September 25th 1877 and baptised November 7th, Leonard, October 15th 1879 and baptised November 19th who sadly died a few months before the birth of Norman McLeod, September 1st 1881 who was baptised October 5th and Elsie Ward Dryden in 1885.

In 1891 the Dryden family was living at 17, Beaumont Street, Tynemouth. Herbert Douglas Dryden supported his family in the quality of a marine engineer. Their daughter Alice Mary, who had decided to become a teacher, in 1891 was a pupil teacher spending part of her time in her own education undertaking teaching duties under the supervision of a qualified teacher. Herbert Douglas Jnr (13) Norman (9) and Elsie (6) were scholars. 

Over the next ten years Alice Mary qualified as a full time teacher, Herbert Douglas found employment with the railway as a clerk, Norman, who had been a scholar at the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle, was a manager’s clerk in the offices of the Board of Trade, Elsie remained at home with her mother, also in the household was Alice’s younger sister, Marianna Robinson (52). Still unmarried they had taken her in after the death of both her parents.

In the census of 1901 and 1911 although still listed as married Alice’s husband Herbert Douglas was absent from the U.K. as he was a sea. Alice Mary and Herbert Douglas Jnr were both married, the responsibility for the Dryden household fell to Norman who was employed as a civil servant in the capacity of Deputy Superintendent at the Mercantile Marine Office. In addition to his aunt Marianna (62), his aunt Isabella (71) was also living in their home which consisted of 8 rooms at 6, Front Street, Preston Village, historically in the suburbs of North Shields.

Whilst living in North Shields Norman McLeod Dryden took a keen interest in the Scout movement. He was District Scoutmaster of the Southern Division, Borough of Tynemouth Boy Scouts Association. 

Prior to WW1 Norman was part of the 3rd Volunteer Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers where he was offered a commission as 2nd Lieutenant. Upon the outbreak of war the 3rd Battalion was incorporated into the 6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers part of the Territorial Forces with HQ at St. George’s Drill Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, the base for Companies “A” to “H”.

After a period of training the 6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers departed to France in April 1915. Having risen through the ranks Captain Norman McLeod Dryden joined his regiment at the front, April 21st 1915, as part of “A” Company attached to the 149th Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division.  

The division was rushed across France to Belgium where the battalion without any nursery training in trench warfare was put into the front line during the Second Battle of Ypres. The opening battle at St. Julien commenced April 22nd with the second gas attack by the Germans at Ypres and lasted until May 25th. 

Captain Dryden was seriously wounded, April 26th 1915 and evacuated back through the lines he was repatriated to the U.K. Although he recovered he was not fit for front line service and appointed to the signalling section of the Findley Park Bombing and Signalling School in the market town of Otley, West Yorkshire. 

Captain Dryden contracted meningitis at Otley and died, November 23rd 1915, whilst visiting his brother Herbert Douglas Dryden Jnr at Selby, North Yorkshire.

Captain Norman McLeod Dryden Northumberland Fusiliers is buried within Selby Cemetery, North Yorkshire, grave reference 2700. He was 34 years of age and single. 

All residual monies due to the late Captain Dryden were assigned to his brother and executor Herbert Douglas Dryden. His awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal were sent to his father at the address of 6, Preston Village, North Shields.

Although his brother Herbert Douglas Dryden Jnr would also have been eligible to serve no record has been found. His sister Alice Mary’s husband, schoolmaster Joseph William Haynes prior to the commencement of WW! had been serving as Private CH.1241.S. with the Royal Marines Light Infantry. He had enlisted November 16th 1915 and died April 6th 1921 of phthisis, (pulmonary tuberculosis), Although Alice Mary received a war pension the C.W.G.C. does not have him listed as a casualty of WW1.

Alice Dryden nee Robinson resident of 6, Front Street, Preston Village, North Shields died February 27th 1921, Herbert Douglas Dryden Snr, insurance agent, in 1928.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Norman McLeod Dryden is remembered at Jesmond in J1.19 page 19, at Newcastle on NUT137, at North Shields on N34.08, N34.11, N34.12, N34.72  and N34.77 and at Tynemouth in T36.14 page 10.