Radcliffe Heritage Project Volunteer Research 1915 Star, British War and Victory Medals and the...

© CfAA: War Graves at St Mary’s Church, Radcliffe, 2014 (24) 1

Radcliffe Heritage Project Volunteer Research War Graves at St Mary’s Church, Radcliffe. Final Version Client: Bury Council Technical Report: Sue Boon

Report No: 24/2014


Contents

1. Introduction 3

2. First World War Graves 6

3. Second World War Graves 5

4. Conclusion 16

5. Sources 21


1. Introduction

1.1 Introduction Within the churchyard of St Mary’s Church in Radcliffe are nine service men who lost their lives in both world wars during the 20th century. Furthermore, in the entrance at the church is a Roll of Honour listing local soldiers from the Lancashire Fusiliers Regiment who fell in the First World War and various local soldiers from other regiments who died in the same conflict.

Fig 1: Radcliffe Tower and its location in the Irwell valley – an aerial view looking east from 1995.


The men who died in the First World War were:

James Bradshaw (died 08/11/1916) Samuel Eaton (died 10/07/1919) John Howarth (died 09/07/1918) George Lee (died 28/12/1920) Zachariah Riley (died 12/03/1918) Albert Edwin Sanderson (died 16/07/1917)

The men who died in the Second World War were:

Jack Boote (died 25/11/1941) Arthur William Patrick Henfrey (died 02/11/1946) Sydney Alexander Pike (died 28/04/1944)

Approximately 60% of the army service records were destroyed in September 1940 following an air raid on the War Office Repository where the documents were being stored so a large amount of information about soldiers has been lost. The following pages contain some information about each soldier with a photo of each headstone. Below is a map of the graveyard indicating the approximate locations of the war graves:


Key:

1. George Lee

2. John Howarth

3. James Bradshaw

4. Sydney Alexander Pike

5. Zachariah Riley

6. Albert Edwin Sanderson

7. Samuel Eaton

8. Arthur William Patrick Henfrey

9. Jack Boote


2. First World War Graves

2.1 JAMES BRADSHAW

James was baptised at St Mary’s Church in Radcliffe, Lancashire on 7th April 1897. His parents were Simeon and Sarah Alice Bradshaw. They lived at 1 Wellington Street, Radcliffe. On the 1901 Census James, aged 4 years old, was living with his parents at the same address. He lived there with his parents, Simeon (39 years) and Sarah Alice (40 years) along with his eight siblings who were: William (18 years), Alfred (15 years), Helen (13 years), Malinda (12 years), Mary (10 years), Ernest (8 years), Albert (5 years), Alice Ann (1 year). 10 years later, on the 1911 Census James, then aged 14 years old, was living with his mother (who was now a widow) and his nine siblings. The additional sibling being Dorothy (aged 8 years). The family now resided at 124 Cross Lane, Radcliffe. All but the two youngest, Alice Ann

and Dorothy, were employed. James’ occupation at the time of enlistment was apprentice butcher for the Radcliffe Co-operative Society. James signed up for the army on 6th January 1915 in Manchester. According to the paperwork he joined the 3rd battalion of the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, although all the subsequent information records him as being with the 2nd battalion. His service number for the army was 16913. The age on his sign-up papers (attestation) show his age as being 19 years and 9 months. This doesn’t tally with his age on the census forms. Calculating his age from the census forms he should have been aged approximately 17 years and 9 months when he signed up. James joined the 2nd Battalion in France on 7th April 1915. On 30th April 1915 James received a gunshot wound to the head at Ypres in Belgium. Although he was operated on this left him weakened and partially paralysed down his left side. Because of this James was discharged from the army on 7th February 1916 due to no longer being physically fit. His rank on leaving the army was Private. On the British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index James is listed as receiving the following medals: 1915 Star, British War and Victory Medals and the Silver War Badge List. The first three medals were campaign medals. The Silver War Badge was awarded during World War 1 to service personnel who had been honourably discharged from the forces through injury or sickness. Later James went to the Ducie Avenue Military Hospital in Manchester where he underwent an operation in the hope that it might improve his condition. He died under anaesthetic on 8th


November 1916. A coroner’s jury recorded a verdict of death from misadventure. The military funeral of James Bradshaw took place on 13th November 1916 at Radcliffe (St Mary) churchyard. The grave reference is row 25, grave 174. As well as family members, representatives from Bury Army Barracks attended the funeral along with some injured soldiers. Also at the funeral as well as family members were members of the Radcliffe Church Boys Brigade who James had been connected with, and Radcliffe Co-Operative Society who James had worked as a butcher for before he enlisted for the army. James wasn’t the only son that Simeon and Sarah lost in the First World War. His brother, Albert, was killed in the Dardanelles in July 1915 whilst serving with the Lancashire Fusiliers. He had two other brothers in the army: Ernest, who was married and serving in Egypt and Alfred who had been in France. There are discrepancies between various documents for James’ age. According to the censuses he was born in 1897 but his army paperwork suggests that he was born in 1895. In the local paper reporting his death in 1916 it stated that he would be 20 next March meaning he was only 19 when he died but the parish record of his burial says he was 21. Some soldiers lied about their age when they enlisted so perhaps this may explain the inconsistencies. These are photos of James taken from articles in the local papers after his death:


2.2 SAMUEL EATON Samuel Eaton was born in September 1889 in Bury, Lancashire. On the 1891 Census he lived at 27 Bambury Street in Bury with his father, John Thomas Eaton, and Mary E Eaton (possibly mother but not confirmed). By the 1901 Census Samuel’s father was married to Ellen and the family was living at 7 South Garden Street in Bury. Samuel (aged 10 years) now had 3 siblings: John (aged 9 years), Mary E (aged 7 years), and Elsie (aged 3 years). 10 years later on the 1911 Census the family had moved to 84 Dumers Lane, Radcliffe. Samuel was sharing the house with John Thomas Eaton, Ellen, Mary Ellen (sister), 2 step brothers John and James Maloney, a step sister Elsie Maloney and Thomas (brother). At this time Samuel’s occupation was paper maker’s assistant. In 1913 Samuel married Theresa Gillings in Rochdale,

Lancashire. They had two children: Herbert Leonard born in 1915 and Mary T born in 1917, both born in the Bury district. Samuel enlisted in the army on 15th March 1915. His age on enlistment was 25 years and 9 months and his occupation was listed as Cattleman. His Next of Kin is listed as his wife, Theresa of 48 Bury Street, Radcliffe. He joined the 3rd South Wales Borderers Regiment and his service number was 25075. He entered Gallipoli on the 26th November 1915. He suffered from ear discharge caused by a shell explosion in 1916. As a consequence of this he was in hospital in 1918 and then sent to the Eye and Ear Infirmary. On 16th May 1917 Samuel was wounded in action. After passing through the 88th Field Ambulance (a mobile front line medical unit), the 19 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) and 20 General Hospital he was returned to England on 27th May 1917 on HS (hospital ship) “Newhaven”. Samuel was given 10 days Field Punishment number 2 on 22nd August 1917 for absence at Brighton. Between 18th and 26th September 1917 he was absent again and on 12th October 1917 he was given 84 days detention as a punishment. Samuel joined the 1st Battalion on 23rd November 1917. On 20th April 1918 Samuel was admitted to the 4 CCS from a Field Ambulance for PUO (Pyrexia of unknown origin). He was returned to the UK on 22nd April 1918 on the HS Newhaven. Samuel was gassed on 15th May 1918. He spat up blood for from time to time but didn’t go sick with it. On 17th July 1918 Samuel was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal and the following day he was attached to the 53rd YS (Young Soldier) Battalion.


On 11th November 1918 Samuel was admitted to the 3rd Field Ambulance with a haematurid. Whilst at home on 21st December 1918 Samuel became ill with a cough and temperature. He remained at home until 8th April 1919 when he was admitted to hospital suffering from fluid in left pleural cavity. He was discharged from Stepping Hill Military Hospital on 12th May 1919 with 100% disability. According to his pension record notes Samuel was discharged from the army on 6th June 1919. The reason stated was that he was no longer physically fit, the disability caused on field service was pulmonary tuberculosis. His address on the discharge papers is given as 27 Church Street, Radcliffe. A pension was awarded of 27/6 which started from the day after Samuel was discharged. It was granted for 3 children (Annie born 4th July 1905, Herbert born 9th February 1915 and Mary born 2nd October 1917). This was later cancelled. Samuel died from TB on 10th July 1919, aged 30 years. He was buried on 15th July 1919 at St Mary’s Church in Radcliffe in Lancashire. The grave reference is row 1, grave 24. On the British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 Samuel is listed as having earned the following medals: Victory Medal, British War Medal and the 1914-1915 Star Medal.


2.3 JOHN HOWARTH John Howarth was born 24th July 1895 and baptised at St Mary’s/St Bartholomew Church, Radcliffe on 28th August 1895. His parents were Joseph and Margaret Howarth. On the 1901 Census John (aged 5 years) was living at 59 Eton Hill Road, Radcliffe with his parents and siblings: Herbert (aged 21), Harry (aged 13), Nellie (aged 9). His father’s occupation was a weaver and loom jobber in a cotton mill. Herbert was a clogger and Harry was a bunder at a cotton dyeworks. By the time of the 1911 Census John, then aged 15 years , was living with his parents and sister Nellie (aged 19) and nephew Joe (aged 6). They had moved to the Blue Bell Inn at Blackford Brow, near Whitefield, John’s father being the publican. John’s occupation was a picker scraper at a paper mill. His sister, Nellie, was a winder at a cotton mill.

John enlisted for the army at Bury on 12th February 1914, aged 18 years and 7 months. He joined the 5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers (service number 1766). His occupation at the time of enlistment was apprentice spindle maker for T A Fitton and Sons and he was still living at the Blue Bell Inn. During his time in the army John was injured several times, the first being on 4th August 1915 when he in Dardanelles, Turkey and was wounded by shrapnel in his left hip. John received a gunshot wound to the right leg on 9th August 1915. He was admitted from the Field Ambulance to the Citadel Hospital in Cairo on 14th August 1915. John returned to his unit on 9th October 1915. On 13th March 1916 John was transferred to 125th Brigade Machine Gun Company. This Brigade had only just been formed on 4th March 1916 and it would later become 42 Battalion Machine Gun Corps on 23rd February 1918. John’s service number became 39496. On 25th March 1916 John was promoted to Lance Corporal. On 17th March 1917 John reverted to the rank of Private at his own request. On 26th March 1917 John was reprimanded for neglect of kit. John was granted 10 days leave to England from 27th April to 7th May 1917. On 14th July 1917 John was again in trouble for inattention on Fatigue Parade, his punishment was 4 days confinement. John was promoted to acting (unpaid) Lance Corporal on 18th November 1917 and then to Corporal on 21st January 1918. 5 days later on 26th January John was promoted to Acting Sergeant. John was wounded again on 27th March 1918 and 27th August 1918 but there are no details of his injuries. John served in Egypt from 10th September 1914 to 21st February 1917. From there he went to France, arriving on 28th February 1917. He left France on 2nd April 1918 to return to England where he remained from 3rd April 1918 until his death on 9th July 1918.


A couple of weeks before his death John had suffered from influenza. He recovered from this but on 29th June 1918 fell ill again and was admitted to the Military Hospital in Bury, Lancashire on 3rd July 1918. He was found to be suffering from acute pneumonia which affected the whole of the left lung. John died, aged 22 years, from pneumonia on 9th July 1918 after 4 years and 149 days service. John was buried on 13th July 1918 at Radcliffe St Mary, his grave reference is row 29 grave 39. On the British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 John is listed as having earned the following medals: Victory Medal, British War Medal and the 1914-1915 Star Medal. Below is a photo of John Howarth taken from the local paper at the time:


2.4 GEORGE LEE

George Lee was born on 13th November 1881 and was the son of John Thomas and Margaret Lee. He was christened on 24th May 1882 at St John’s Church in Radcliffe in Lancashire. On 30th May 1995 George’s brother, Richard was born. He was christened on 18th June 1885 at St John’s Church in Radcliffe. The address for the family is given as Little Ireland in the Parish of Stand Lane, Radcliffe. Sadly Richard died at 2 years old and was buried on 3rd March 1888 at the same church that he was christened. In the 1891 Census George, aged 9 years, was living with his parents, his sister Elizabeth Ellen (aged 11 months), and two lodgers, Emma Bleakley (aged 40) and David (aged 8). They were living at 14 Howarth Street in Radcliffe, Lancashire. George’s father’s (John Thomas) occupation was listed as general labourer. Emma Bleakley’s occupation was listed as a cotton weaver.

By the time of the 1901 Census George’s mother had died and George (aged 19), his sister (aged 10) and their father were living with his grandmother, Elizabeth Lee. They were living at 4 West Street, Radcliffe. George married Sarah Jane Tunstall on 7th August 1909 at St Mary’s Church in Radcliffe, Lancashire. On the 1911 Census George (aged 29) and his wife Sarah Jane (aged 28) were living at 257 Dumers Lane in Radcliffe. They were the only occupants of the house. George’s occupation was a waste paper sorter at a Paper Bag Works and Sarah Jane was a sheet straightener at the Bleach works (cotton cloth). George enlisted in the army and joined the 3rd Reserve Cavalry Regiment and 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers). He had two service numbers: GS/21958 and D/16912. His rank was private. There is no service record available so there are no details about his time in the army apart from the Medal Rolls Index which says that he was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. George died on 28th December 1920, aged 39 years, at Florence Nightingale Hospital in Bury, Lancashire. He was buried on 31st December 1920 at St Mary’s Church in Radcliffe. His grave reference is row 11, grave 3.


2.5 ZACHARIAH RILEY

Zachariah Riley was born on 14th December 1888. His parents were Zachariah and Lucy Riley. He was baptised on 10th March 1889 in Stand (now known as Whitefield) in Lancashire. On the 1891 Census Zachariah (aged 2 years) was living with his parents and siblings at 366 Hollins Lane in Unsworth in the Parish of Pilkington. His father, aged 35 years, worked as a maker up and his mother was aged 34 years. Zachariah had three brothers and one sister living with him. They were James (aged 13 years), Edmund (11 years), Annie (7 years) and Gordon (5 years). On the 1901 Census Zachariah, aged 12 years, was living at 353 Hollins Lane in Unsworth, Lancashire. He lived with his parents and siblings as on the previous census but with an additional 3 children: Alice aged 10 years, Arnett Hardman aged 5 years and Lucy aged 2 years. The occupations of the family members were as follows: Zachariah (father) was a

cotton cloth maker-up, James and Edmund were cotton clother dryers, Annie was a cotton clother looker-over and Gordon was an office clerk at the Bleach Works. Zachariah was only 12 years old and was not working. Zachariah’s father (Zachariah Potter Riley) died in 1909. This means that on the 1911 Census Zachariah’s mother Lucy (now aged 55 years) was listed as a widow. They were still living at 353 Hollins Lane. Apart from Lucy the other family members living at that address were Gordon (aged 25) whose occupation was assistant book-keeper, Zachariah (aged 22) occupation beetler, Alice (aged 19) occupation lengthener, Arnett Hardman (aged 15) occupation plaiter and Lucy (aged 12) who was still at school. All the working members of the family worked at the Bleach works. On 10th August 1912 Zachariah married Rachel Annie Duckworth at St Mary’s Church in Radcliffe, Lancashire. They had a son, Harry Duckworth Riley, who died in on 16th June 1916, aged 4 days. Zachariah enlisted in the army on 7th October 1914 in Manchester. Before he joined the army Zachariah worked at Hampson Mills in Blackford Bridge, Bury. His age at enlistment was 25 years and 10 months. He joined the Royal Scots Edinburgh Battalion as a Private and his army service (regimental) number was 17729. The following is the information from Zachariah’s army service record. 5th April 1915 Private Riley was absent off pass from 1 pm till 7.30 am on 6th April 1915. His punishment was 10 days CB (confinement to barracks) and forfeit 2 days pay. 13th December 1915 Zachariah was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. 8th January 1916 Embarked from Southampton for France. 7th July 1916 Zachariah was transferred to the UK per H S (Hospital Ship) Asturias suffering from a GSW to the buttock.


8th July 1916 to 13th September 1916 he was admitted to King George Hospital with a gunshot wound to the right buttock. The wound was described as suppurating (discharge). In October 1916 Posted to 3rd Battalion. 30th November 1916 he was posted to the 11th Battalion and reverted to the rank of Private. 12th December 1916 Zachariah was posted to the 15th Battalion and appointed paid Lance Corporal. 28th April 1917 Zachariah was wounded in action in Etaples. Admitted to 102 Field Hospital suffering from a GSW (gunshot wound) to the chest. From there he was admitted in No 26 General Hospital in Etaples, where it was noted that he was dangerously ill. He was then sent to the UK on SS Jan Breydel and on 2nd June 1917 he was admitted in St Bartholomew’s Hospital in Rochester in Kent. Zachariah died on 12th March 1918 at the Overcliff V A D Red Cross Military Hospital in Westcliff near Southend on Sea, aged 29 years. On the medical notes in his service record it says that he died from a Secondary Cerebral Infection probably abscess. His rank at the time of his death was Lance Corporal. Rachel (his widow) was living at 206 Dumers Lane in Radcliffe. She was awarded a pension from the army. Zachariah was posthumously awarded the British War and Victory Medals. These were given to Rachel in April 1921. Zachariah is buried at Radcliffe St Mary churchyard and the grave reference is row 3, grave 7. The family were offered a military funeral but declined, preferring a quiet private ceremony. He was buried with his wife’s family. Rachel died on 12th January 1980. His name appears on the roll of honour at the parish churches for Radcliffe and Unsworth because he had connections to both. At the time Zachariah had two brothers serving in the army, Private Gordon Riley who was serving in France and Private Arnold Riley who was in the Royal Scots Regiment. Arnold was serving in Italy and had been awarded the Military Medal a few months before Zachariah’s death. Right is a photograph of Zachariah taken from the local papers after his death:


2.6 ALBERT EDWIN SANDERSON Albert Edwin Sanderson was born in 1897 in the Registration District of Bury in Lancashire. On the 1901 Census Albert was 3 years old and was living at 73 Bury Street in Radcliffe, Lancashire. He lived there with his parents: Thomas (aged 52) and Emma (aged 42) and siblings: Maria (aged 23), Catherine (aged 21), Thomas (aged 9) and Mary Ann (aged 7). Albert’s father’s occupation was a gardener and he was born in Scotland. Maria and Catherine’s occupations were paper bag makers and Thomas and Mary Ann were at school. The family was still living at the same address on the 1911 Census. Catherine was no longer at the address but the rest of the family were still living there. Albert, now aged 13, was listed as working as an errand boy. His father and brother Thomas were

listed as gardeners (domestic), Emma was listed as assisting in the house (I am not sure whether this is in her own house or in the house where her husband and son worked). Maria was a paper bag maker and Mary Ann was a paper catcher (paper making). Albert and his sister, Mary Ann, were baptised on 12th April 1915 in the parish of Radcliffe. This means that Albert was 17 or 18 when he was baptised. Albert enlisted in the army in Radcliffe and joined the 7th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers. His service number was 282038. At the time of his enlistment Albert was working for Messrs. E Hulton & Co. Prior to that he had been an apprentice at the Radcliffe Printing Works Co’s works in Church Street. He had been a member of the Parish Church Lad’s Brigade and was called upon to play piano for the Parish Church Schools. His father had been a gardener for the late Miss Bealey. On 16th July 1917 Albert, aged 19, died from wounds received in France. He died at the North Evington Military Hospital in Leicester and was buried 20th July 1917 at Radcliffe St Mary churchyard. The grave reference is row 3, grave 11. Albert was buried at St Mary’s Church in Radcliffe on 20th July 1917 in the family grave, not in a war grave, although he did have a military funeral. A large firing party from Bury Barracks led the funeral procession and the coffin was covered with a Union Jack. Also mentioned on the headstone are his brother Thomas who died of dysentery in Mesopotamia (now known as Iraq) on 8th August 1918 aged 27 years and his nephew Wilfred who died from wounds suffered in Algeria on 16th February 1943. This family had suffered losses in both world wars. Here is a photo of Albert taken from the local paper.


3. Second World War Graves

3.1 Army service records for Second World War soldiers are only available to the next of kin of each soldier and not to the general public, so very little information is available for these individuals. 3.2 JACK BOOTE

Jack Boote was born in 1911. He married Elsie Hart in 1932. Jack enlisted for the British Army and joined the 6th Battalion of the Foot Guards Branch of the Grenadier Guards Regiment. His service number was 2620159. Jack died 25th November 1941 and he and Elsie lived at. He had come home on 7 days leave because his son Malcolm was undergoing an operation. He and Elsie lived at 7 Rigby Avenue in Radcliffe. On the day he died Jack’s wife and son had gone out visiting and when they returned to the house Elsie found her husband hanging. At the inquest into Jack’s death the coroner (Col R M Barlow) returned a verdict that Jack hanged himself while the balance of his mind was disturbed. Elsie

said her husband hadn’t given any indication of anything being wrong but he had been expecting orders to go abroad and that may have worried him. Although Jack hadn’t suffered physical injuries as a result of war he was still a casualty of war and that ultimately led to his death. He was buried at St Mary’s Church in Radcliffe, Lancashire. The grave reference is row 4, grave 35. Jack was entitled to the War Medal 1939-1945 This medal was awarded to all full time service personnel who had completed 28 days service between 3rd September 1939 and the 2nd September 1945. He would, in all likelihood, have been awarded the 1939-45 Star for operational Service in the Second World War between 3rd September 1939, and 2nd September 1945.


3.3 ARTHUR WILLIAM PATRICK HENFREY

Arthur William Patrick Henfrey was born in Sussex in 1890. His parents were George Patrick and Gertrude Evelyn Henfrey. On the 1891 Census the family was living at 8 Walpole Road, Brighton in Sussex. There were nine people living at that address, six were members of the Henfrey family and three were servants. The Henfrey family consisted of: Arthur (aged 7 months), his father George Patrick (aged 32) whose occupation was a solicitor, his mother Gertrude Evelyn Henfrey (aged 28), sister Gertrude Elizabeth (aged 2), grandmother Elizabeth Anne Henfrey (aged 73) and uncle Arthur (aged 34) whose occupation was a banker. The servants were listed as: Matilda Gale (aged 65 - cook), Elizabeth Anne Woodyer (aged 28 – nurse) and Margaret Susan Collins (aged 15 – housemaid). By the 1901 Census the family had moved to Brighton Road in Crawley in Sussex. The family had grown significantly

by this date. George and Gertrude now had ten children: Gertrude E (aged 12), Arthur W P (aged 10), Charles O (aged 9), George H (aged 7), Caroline A E (aged 6), Christina (aged 5), John B F (aged 4), Mary O (aged 2), Thomas H (aged 1) and Henry F (aged 4 months). In addition the family had a servant, Florence Padwick (aged 17), living with them. Ten years later, on the 1911 Census, the family was divided over two addresses. Arthur (now aged 20) was at The Dower House in Langley Park, Beckenham in Kent. He was there with his father (aged 52) who was by now retired, brothers: Charles Outram (aged 19) a stock broker’s clerk, George Hollingworth (aged 17) an engineering student, John Benjamin Ferth (aged 14) at school, Thomas Hetherington (aged 11) at school, his uncle Arthur (aged 54) a bank manager for Messrs N Rothschilds & Sons and two servants: Robert Dawes the gardener and Susan Dawes the housekeeper. The rest of the family were at Crawley Lodge, 32 Brighton Road, Crawley in Sussex. The family members at that address were Arthur’s mother Gertrude Evelyn Henfrey (aged 48), his siblings: Gertrude Elizabeth (aged 22), Mary Octavia (aged 12), Henry Fitzhenry(aged 10), Frances Anne Stewart (aged 8), Patricia Ammciata (aged 7), Dorothy (aged 5) and two servants: Maude Grace Quirke (aged 27) the nursery governess and Caroline Penny (aged 40) the housekeeper. Arthur’s father died in 1925 and his mother died in 1930. Arthur married Edith Muriel Falkenstein in 1914 in the St Martin district of London. Edith died in December 1941 aged 46. In 1944 Arthur married Lilian May Rollings in Heywood. Lilian died in 1983 aged 76. Arthur died on 2nd November 1946 aged 56. At the time of his death Arthur was a Captain in the Royal Army Pay Corps of the British Army. His service number was 142028. He died at the private patients’ home in Lorne Street in Manchester. He left a widow Lilian May


Biltcliffe Henfrey. They were living at 846 Manchester Road in Whitefield. Arthur was buried in Radcliffe St Mary churchyard, the grave reference is 3rd Ground. Rank 4, Grave 17. Following his service in the army Arthur was entitled to the War Medal 1939-1945 and the 1939-1945 Star Medals.


3.4 SYDNEY ALEXANDER PIKE Sydney (or Sidney in some records) Alexander Pike was born in 1919 in Kent. He married Kathleen M Bentley in 1943 at Heywood. Sydney enlisted in the army and he was a private in the Royal Army Pay Corps. His service number was 7663350. On 28th April 1944 Sidney died, aged 24, at the Infirmary in Bury. On the day that he died he had told his wife “I have never felt better in my life”. An investigation was carried out into his death by the Bury Coroner (Col R M Barlow) and evidence from a pathologist showed that the soldier died from a cerebral haemorrhage caused by a rupture of the blood vessel while cycling and that the condition was congenital. A verdict of natural causes was recorded. Despite his death not being caused by wounds sustained in action the military still gave him a war grave.

His widow was a Lance Corporal who was also serving with the Royal Army Pay Corps. Sydney’s address at the time of his death was 105 Cross Lane, Radcliffe. He was buried in Radcliffe St Mary churchyard and his grave reference is ground 2, row 26, grave 10. Sydney was eligible for the War Medal 1939-1945 and more than likely eligible for the 1939-45 Star Medal.


4. Conclusion

4.1 There are many more soldiers mentioned on a number of headstones in the churchyard, but these all died abroad and were not brought back to the UK for burial. Most of these are recorded on the Radcliffe War Memorial (see photograph below):


5. Sources

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION, http://www.cwgc.org/ (last accessed 21 April 2014) FORCES WAR RECORDS, http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/ (accessed 02 April 2014) The War Graves Project: twgpp.org information accessed 12 February 2014 Manchester & Salford family history forum accessed 23 January 2014:

http://manchestersalfordfamilyhistory.weebly.com/st-mary-churchyard-radcliffe-bury.html UNSWORTH POLE WAR MEMORIAL accessed 23 January 2014: https://sites.google.com/site/unsworthpolewarmemorial/unsworth-war-memorial/Home/radcliffe-war-memorial-lancashire ANCESTRY.CO.UK, http://home.ancestry.co.uk/ (accessed 17 April 2014) FAMILYSEARCH, https://familysearch.org/search (accessed 17 April 2014) Lancashire Online Parish Clerks accessed 13 May 2014 http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/ FreeBMD http://www2.freebmd.org.uk/ accessed 27 Mar 2014 1891 England Census on http://www.freecen.org.uk/cgi/search.pl accessed 17Apr2014 The National Archives accessed 05 March 2014: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Radcliffe Times viewed on microfilm at Radcliffe Library accessed 08 May 2014

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