Armirage War Memorial WW1

Albert Waltho (Junior) First World War.

Corporal 18640, 13th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Albert was born in Mavesyn Ridware in about
1895. His dad was called Samuel and his mum was
Mary. Albert had 4 brothers & sisters and they
lived in Old Road in Armitage.
When he was 16 Albert was already working at
Edward John’s- now better known as Armitage
Shanks! His dad had passed away, but he was still
living with his Mum and sister.
Albert tried to join the army in November 1914,
but was soon discharged 13 days later. It is likely
he had a medical condition that made him
unsuitable. He didn’t give up though, and signed
up again elsewhere. He was then sent to France in
July 1915. He spent a lot of time fighting and at
one point was hit by a shell and was subsequently
buried by the explosion. He was sent home to

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recover. At this point his mum had moved next
door to other family members in Ricardia Terrace,
the houses just behind where Londis is today.
Eventually he was sent back to France to fight but
sadly he was shot in the arm, back and knees and
died from his wounds on 6th August 1917 aged
about 22. He is buried in Abbeville Communal
Cemetery near The Somme in France.

Abbeville Communal Cemetery, the Somme,
France where Albert is buried.

Albert is wrongly listed on the war memorial as
Albert Waltho Senior.

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Alfred Smith First World War.

Private 202342, 1/5th Battalion, North Staffordshire
Regiment.

Alfred was born in Rugeley in 1896. His dad was
called James and his mum was Sarah. He had 4
brothers and sisters and by the time he was 15 he
was working with his brother at Edwards Johns –
now better known as Armitage Shanks!
Alfred joined the army in August 1914 but hadn’t
been sent to France until March 1916 just after he
turned 21. In June 1916 the local newspaper wrote
an article about Alfred and how he had been
wounded in the left thigh. He’d been brought back
to the UK and was in a war hospital in
Northumberland. No further records can be found
for Alfred, but he must have recovered from his
wounds and returned to War as he died on 14th

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March 1917 in France and is buried at Bucquoy
Cemetery.
This is what Edward Johns looked like when Alfred
and his brother worked there.

This is Bucquoy Cemetery in France where Alfred is
buried.

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Ellis Rowland Richards First World War.

Private 71539, 16th Sherwood Foresters
(Nottinghamshire & Derby) & Private 31172, North
Staffordshire Regiment

Ellis was born in Wales in 1894. His dad was called
Samuel and his mum was Sarah. Samuel was a
shepherd! Ellis had 7 brothers and sisters and
was already working as a gardener aged 16.
It’s not known what connection Ellis had to the
village, but it is thought that he had moved here
just before the war to work at the Edward Johns
pottery. We know that one of his Brothers, John,
worked in Armitage making bricks.
Ellis eventually joined the army in Stone 1914
when War broke out. Shortly after, he was sent to
fight. Ellis was killed on 22nd September 1917 aged
about 23. He was likely killed in action and he is
buried in Perth Cemetery in Belgium. A memorial

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service was held at St. John the Baptist Church in
Oct 1917 to honour Ellis and another soldier,
William Hiley.

This is Perth Cemetery where Ellis was buried.

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Frank Daft First World War.

Lance Corporal 9625, 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire
Regiment

Frank was born in Longdon in about 1894. His dad
was called Cluse and his mum was Emily. Frank
had 3 brothers, Fred, Clifford, Cicely. Frank and his
brothers lived with their grandmother, Harriet for
a while, but eventually most of the family ended
up living back together in Pike Lane in Armitage.
Aged 17, Frank was working in Sutton at a
fishmongers. When he joined the army he
impressed his superiors so much that he was
promoted to Lance Corporal and sent to war in
July 1915. He spent his time at war in France and
was killed in action on 11th January 1917 aged 23.
He is buried in France at the Frankfurt Trench
Cemetery which lies near the battle of The
Somme.

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Frankfurt Trench Cemetery, near The Somme,
France, where Frank is buried.

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Frederick Johnson First World War.

Private 15420, Prince Albert’s 8th Battalion, Somerset
Light Infantry – Formerly Private 20627, The Hussars

Frederick was born near Stoke on Trent in 1896.
His dad was called John Henry and his mum was
Sarah. The worked in the potteries and moved to
the village before the war so that Fred & his dad
could work at Edward John’s- now better known
as Armitage Shanks!
Frederick had a brother and 2 sisters. They lived in
a house which was near Londis, but it has now
been destroyed.
Fred joined the army and was sent to war in
France. No one knows how, but on the 28th April
1917 Frederick was killed, aged about 20. This was
likely to be in the Battle of Arras.
He has no known grave as his body was not found,
but his name is on the Arras Memorial in France.

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The Arras Memorial in France.

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Harry Cooper First World War.

Pioneer 195909, ‘P’ Special Company, Royal Engineers

Harry was born in Armitage in 1898. His dad was
called Henry and his mum was Harriet. The family
lived in New Road, Armitage and Harry was an
only child .His dad worked at Edward John’s- now
better known as Armitage Shanks. Harry went to
school in Armitage in the building at the top of
Church Lane opposite The Croft school.
Harry, sometimes known as Henry, was very
clever. He went to university in London and
became a student teacher in Brereton, before
returning to study at Westminster. It was while he
was studying that he got sent to war.
On 17th July 1917, 2 days before his 20th birthday,
he was killed in action near the Somme.

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He has known grave but his name in on the Menin
Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium. A service was
held at Armitage Church for him.

Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium.

This is where Harry went to school, at the top of
Church Lane.

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Horace Vernon First World War.

Corporal 241611, 2/6th Battalion, North Staffordshire
Regiment.

Horace was born at the end of 1895 in Armitage. His
dad was called John and his mum was Louisa.
Horace had 6 brothers and sisters and his dad was a
coal miner. When Horace was 15 he was working at
the local colliery moving coal.
After Horace joined the army, it is likely that he was
first sent to Ireland in April 1916 before heading to
France in February 1917.
He was involved in the Battle of the Somme before
being sent to Cambrai in France and on 8th May
1917 he was killed in battle aged about 22. He has
no known grave, but his name in on the Thiepval
Memorial in France.

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Horace’s younger brother John also fought in
France, but thankfully he survived and returned
home.

Thiepval Memorial in France which has Horace’s
name on.

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John Aldritt First World War.

Gunner 165626, ‘D’ Battery, Royal Field Artillery, 104th
Brigade (and Royal Horse Artillery)

John was born in Handsacre in 1897. His dad was
also called John and his mum was Elizabeth. John
had 6 sisters, but sadly, 3 died while still very
young. The family lived on Old Road. By the time
he was 14, he was already working at the
butchers as a delivery boy.
When he was a little older, he also worked with
his dad at Edward John’s- now better known as
Armitage Shanks.
John joined the army in 1916, aged 19. In
February 1917 he was sent to fight on the
Western Front, the main area of fighting, but on
13th July he was killed, aged around 20.
His Major wrote to his family after his death to
say that he found him to be an ‘excellent man in
all ways’. He is buried at Chester Farm Cemetery
in Belgium.

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This is what Edward Johns looked like when John
worked there.

Chester Farm Cemetery, West-Vllaanderen,
Belgium where John is buried.

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Joseph Edwin Carthy First World War.

Private 39914, 4th Battalion, North Staffordshire
Regiment

Joseph was born in Armitage in 1896. His dad was
called Herbert and his mum was Clara. Joseph had
9 brothers & sisters! They lived in Brook Cottage
in Old Road. Joseph liked to be called Ted. At 15
he didn’t have a job, but he eventually worked at
the pit, as a colliery boat loaded- which meant
that he loaded coal onto the canal boats- it was a
hard, dirty job. In 1916 when he was 20 he joined
the army. He was sent to France in October 1917,
in the November, his battalion was sent to fight
and he was killed in action 14 days later on 29th
November. He had gone to fetch water for other
soldiers when an aeroplane dropped a bomb
which exploded beside him. He was killed

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instantly. He had made a will which left all of his
belongings to his mum.
He is buried in Minty Farm Cemetery in West-
Vlaanderen, Belgium.

This is where Ted is buried in Belgium.

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Joseph Simpson First World War.

Private 46844, 1st Battalion, North Staffordshire
Regiment.

Joseph was born in Rugeley in 1890. His dad was
also called Joseph and his mum was Emily. The
family moved from Rugeley to Manchester, but
Joseph met a girl called Rose who was also from
Rugeley. They married in 1915 when Joseph was 25
and they moved back to Rugeley together.
Joseph worked as a brick layer at Lea Hall Colliery.
Joseph joined the army in the village and was sent
to France in 1915. It is believed he was gassed
during the Battle of the Somme early in 1918. He
was sent back to the UK to a military hospital in
Hampshire, where he deteriorated and died aged 28
on 9th March 1918. (The war memorial lists his
death as 1917 in error) In November 1917 Joseph
made a will leaving all of his belongings to his wife,

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Rose, who was living in Old Road, Armitage. He is
buried in Netley Military Hospital in Hampshire.
This is Netley Cemetery in Hampshire where Joseph

is buried.

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Arthur Leslie Lawrence First World War.

Private 42371, 1st Lincolnshire Regiment

Arthur was born in about 1898, likely in Longdon.
His Mum was called Edith and she lived at Dunelm
in Upper Longdon.
Sadly, we don’t know anything else about Arthur
other than the fact that he died on 4th October
1917 aged 19.

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Reginald Henry Bacon First World War.

Sergeant 159094, 606th Employment Company,
Labour Corps – Formerly Quartermaster Sergeant
32638 Royal Fusiliers

Reginald was born in Stoke in 1871. His dad was
called Joseph and his mum was Selina. Joseph was
a head master at a school of art! Reginald had 6
older brothers and sisters. Selina died when
Reginald was 10. He became a potter in Stoke
before he moved to Ivy Cottage in Armitage to
work as a manager at Edward John’s- now better
known as Armitage Shanks!
Upon joining the army in late 1915, his skills were
put to use as a Quartermaster and later promoted
to Sergeant. He was sent home at some point as
he became sick, and he died in Suffolk on 12th
November 1917 aged 46. A Lichfield newspaper

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issued an article to announce his death and it
spoke of his popularity, sporting talent, sense of
humour and jovial personality. The flag at
Edwards John’s was flown at half mast when the
news reached the village.
He is buried in Bury St. Edmunds Cemetery,
Suffolk.

This is what Edward Johns looked like when
Reginald worked there.

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William Hiley First World War.

Private 240058, 1/6th Battalion, North Staffordshire
Regiment

William was born in Handsacre in 1892. His dad
was called William and his mum was Hannah. He
had a younger brother called Alfred & a sister
called Hannah. The family lived in Old Road,
Armitage. By the time Alfred was 19 he was
working at the local pit. His job was to push and
pull huge tubs filled with coal on tracks
underground. It would have been dark, cold, noisy
and exhausting.
William had joined the army in 1910, before war
had broken out and he was called up early on in
August 1914 and by March 1915 he had been sent
to fight in France, where he remained until he was
killed on 9th September 1917, just over 12 months

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after his cousin James and younger brother,
Alfred, were killed.
In a letter sent to his parents from his
commander, he was described as hard working,
conscientious, courageous and always cheerful –
which made everyone around him feel cheerful
too. It was said that he died instantly and that his
parents should be very proud of their son.

He is buried in Philosoph British Cemetery in
Mazingarbe, France.
A memorial was held by Rev. Samson, whose own
son had died in the war, at Armitage Church for
William and Ellis Roland Richards in October 1917.

This is the Philosoph Cemetery in France where
William is buried.

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William Marklew First World War.

Gunner 141773, 294th Siege Battery Royal Garrison

William was born in the village in 1885, his dad
was called William and his mum was Louisa. When
William was 16 he worked at in the village making
bricks. The brickworks stood where the doctors
surgery is today! They lived near where Carthy’s
shop is today.
William had 2 younger sisters and by the time he
was 26 he had stopped making bricks and he
worked as a gardener at Armitage Lodge, a big
house that used to be near the Plum Pudding. He
also loved sport!
When the war broke out, William joined the army
and was sent to fight in France. He was killed on
30th June 1917, aged 32.
William has no known grave, but his name in on
the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium.

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We don’t know who is in this picture, but this is
the brickworks where William worked.

This was Armitage Lodge where he worked as a
gardener.

This is the Menin Gtae Memorial which has his
name on in Belgium.

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Albert Waltho (Senior) First World War.

Private 39071, 8th Battalion, North Staffordshire
Regiment.

Albert was born in Armitage in early 1884. His dad
was called Samuel and his mum was Emma. Albert
had 7 brothers & sisters and they lived in Ricardia
Terrace, Armitage. Sadly, Albert’s dad died when
Albert was young so Emma had to work in a
laundrette and Albert was working at Edward
John’s pottery – now better known as Armitage
Shanks.
After war broke out, Albert joined the army and
sent to France in April 1918. He was posted to a
quiet place in France near a river, but after a few
weeks of little action the German’s attacked and
Albert was killed on 30th May, aged 34. He has no
known grave but his name is on the Soissons
Memorial in France.

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This is the Soissons Memorial in France which has
Albert’s name on.

This is what Edward Johns looked like when Albert
worked there.

This is where Albert and his family lived, in
Ricardia Terrace, behind Londis. Then and now.

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Arthur William Rushton First World War.

Lance Corporal 18143, 1st Battalion Royal Welsh
Fusiliers.

Arthur was born in Rugeley in 1897. His dad was
called William and his mum was Emily. He had a
sister called Edith. Sadly William died when Arthur
was 8 and the family moved in with Emily’s parents.
At some point, the family must have moved to the
village, but there are no details of where. Aged 14,
Arthur was already working as an errand boy and
living with his uncle. He joined the Army in 1915
when he was about 18. He was sent to France in
June 1915. Before he left he made a will and left all
of his belongings to his mum.

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After a short time in the army, Arthur was promoted
to Lance Corporal, he won recognition for his good
conduct. In 1918 he was sent to help fight in Italy,
on 24th April 1918, aged around 21, he was killed by
a bomb dropped from an aeroplane as he was
tidying all of his army kit away from the front line.
He is buried in Magnabosche British Cemetery in
Italy.

This is the cemetery where he is buried in Italy.

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Ernest George Martin First World War.

Lance Bombardier 76164, 37th Division Ammunition
Column, Royal Horse Artillery & Royal Field Artillery

Earnest was born in Handsacre, but we aren’t sure
when. His dad was called Frederick and his mum
was Mary Jane. Ernest had 6 brothers and sisters
and the whole family lived in Marsh Barn Farm,
just over the canal bridge past The Crown Inn. The
whole family was involved in running the farm.
In 1915 Ernest joined the army in Lichfield and he
arrived in France in August 1915. During his
service he was prompted to Lance Corporal. He
survived 3 years fighting during the War but on 4th
November 1918 he was killed, just a week before
the fighting ended, making him the last soldier in
WW1 from the village to die in action. We don’t
know his age.

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He is buried in the British Cemetery near
Rocquingy in France.
This is the cemetery near Rocquingy where Ernest

is buried.

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Harold Ridley Deakin First World War.

Private 77343, 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry,
Formerly Private 39211, North Staffordshire Regiment.

Harold was born late in 1898 in Hednesford. His dad
was called John and his mum was Emily. He had an
older sister called Florence. Sadly, Harold’s dad, who
was a miner, died in an accident at work. His mum
remarried and by the time Harold was 13 the family
had moved to High Bridge in Handsacre.
Harold went to school in the village and after he left
he became a groom, looking after horses!
In April 1917 he joined the army and in the autumn
he was sent to France. In March 1918 after a large
attack from the Germans on 21st March, Harold was
listed as ‘missing’. In August of that year, it was
reported to his mother that his body may have been
found. His mum had to wait until February 1919 for
this to be confirmed.

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He has no known grave, but his name in on the
Poziers Memorial, France.

This is Poziers Memorial which has Harold’s name
on.

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James Courtney First World War.

Unknown

Sadly, we don’t know anything about James
Courtney other than the fact that he died in 1918.
We don’t know who his family was, where he
lived or how old he was.

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Reginald Morecroft First World War. 

Lance Corporal 15401, 8th Battalion, Prince Albert’s 
Somerset Light Infantry, Formerly Private 20622, The 
Husssars 

Reginald was born in Armitage in late 1896. His 

dad was called Henry and his mum was Mary Ann. 

He was the youngest of 3 children. They lived in 

New Road, Armitage in Irvine House. 

His dad, Henry and his brother Harry both worked 

at Edward John’s pottery – now better known as 

Armitage Shanks! His sister May was a nurse and 

his mum worked in a shop selling tobacco. At 14, 

Reginald worked delivering telegrams around the 

village on a bicycle. Telegrams were almost like 

emails are today, but they had to be delivered by 

hand, like a letter. It is likely that Reginald used a 

bicycle made by Samuel Morecroft, a family 

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member who also lived in the village making 
bicycles. 
In September 1914, as soon as he was old enough, 
Reginald joined the army. He was sent to France 
in September 1915 and survived for 3 years 
before a huge fight on 5th April 1918, where he 
was killed, aged 21. He has no known grave, but 
his name is on the Arras Memorial in France.  

 

This is the Arras Memorial with Reginald’s name on. 

 
There is also a memorial to him in Handsacre 

Methodist Church 

 

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Robert Greatrix First World War.

Private 235017, 2/6th Battalion, North Staffordshire
Regiment. 1/5th Battalion, North Staffordshire
Regiment and 3rd Battalion North Staffordshire.

Robert was born in Armitage in late 1898. His dad
was called Frederick and his mum was Jane. He
had 5 brothers and sisters. They lived in Old Road,
Armitage, near Carthy’s butchers shop.
By the time he was 13 Robert was working on a
farm. As soon as he was 18, he joined the army in
June 1916. The record states that he was 5’2”, fit
but had bad teeth. In September of 1916 he was
sent into training near Newcastle. Whilst in
training he took too many days off and was fined
8 days pay for the unauthorised absence.
He was sent to France in January 1917 and spent
15 months there. In April 1918 he was involved in
the Battle of Kemmel where the British were

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attacked by the German’s over 2 days. It was here
on 17th April that Robert was killed, aged 19.
He is buried in Mendinghem Military Cemetery in
Belgium.

This is the cemetery where Robert is buried in
Belgium.

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William Dent First World War.

Gunner 75982, 99th Battery, 30th Brigade, Royal Field
Artillery and Royal Horse Artillery

William was born in Hixon, near Stafford, in June
1893. His dad was called Robert and his mum was
Harriet. He had 4 brothers and sisters and when
he was 4 the family had moved to Blithbury where
his dad worked on a farm. When he was 17
William moved onto a local farm to work as a
farm servant, but 3 years later, in February 1914,
before War broke out, he joined the army. War
was declared in July and by mid-August William
had been sent to France. He fought for over 4
years and was wounded twice. As the war was
nearing an end in September 1918 he was sent to
the Balkans, near the Greece border, to launch a
final attack, but sadly it wasn’t very successful and
William was badly wounded, he died 2 days later

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on 20th September, aged 25. He is buried at
Karasouli Cemetery in Greece.
By this time William’s parents had moved to
Armitage. Three of their other sons were also
soldiers, but they did survive the War. William is
also remembered at St. Nicholas Church in
Mavesyn Ridware, likely due to his farm work.
This Karasouli Military Cemetery in Greece where

William is buried.

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William Henry Brown First World War.

Private 43398, 2/6th Battalion, North Staffordshire
Regiment

William was born in Rugeley in 1896, he dad was
called Herbert and his mum was Phoebe.
When William was 14 he was working in the local
coal mine with his dad moving coal.
After War broke out William married a lady called
Elise in Lichfield in February 1916. They moved to
the edge of the village in a cottage at Brereton
and they had a daughter called Ruby. Shortly
afterwards, in February 1917 he joined the army
aged 22 and was sent to France in March. He was
at War for over a year when in April 1918 during a
final attempt at victory from the Germans,
William was killed in action on 16th April, aged
almost 23.

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His possessions were returned to his wife and
compromised of just letters, a photo, one coin, his
wedding ring and a uniform stripe to show that he
had been wounded. He is buried in Mendinghem
Military Cemetery in Belgium and it is thought
that he is on our village memorial because he
lived so close.

This Mendinghem Military Cemetery in Belgium
where William is buried.

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William Hudson First World War.

Rifleman B/201437, The Rifle Brigade (The Prince’s
Consort’s Own) Formerly M/2/079936, Royal Army
Service Corps.

William was born early in 1883 in Armitage. His dad
was called Joseph and his mum was Fanny. Sadly,
his mum died just after he was born and his dad was
working as a coal miner, so he wasn’t able to care
for William and he was adopted by a lady who lived
in the village, called Selina Moorecroft.
At the age of 28 William was living with his brother,
John in New Road, Armitage, they were both
working as bricklayers. Late in 1911 William married
a lady called Elizabeth and they moved to Burton on
Trent. It was here that William joined the army.
In May 1915 William was sent to France where he
survived the fighting for nearly 3 years, when in
January 1918 he was badly wounded, likely in the

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Battle of Cambrai. He never recovered and died of
his wounds on 18th January, aged 35. William is
buried in Rocquigny-Equancourt British Cemetery in
France.

This is Rocquigny-Equancourt Cemetery in France
where William is buried.

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William Morecroft First World War.

Gunner 84172, 191st Siege Battery, Royal Garrison
Artillery

William was born in Armitage in late 1885. His dad
was called George and his mum was Charlotte. He
had 5 brothers and sisters. They lived in Chapel
House, Uttoxeter Road, Handsacre.
George was a brickmaker and William was a
labourer and later worked at Brereton Colliery. In
February 1916 William left his job and joined the
army. In the Autumn he married a lady called
Millicent and they moved to Lichfield. In
November 1916 he was sent to France and in
March 1917 he was wounded and then again in
May 1917 he was wounded again when he was
shot through the hand, but continued to work
before he was injured again in December, just
before Christmas. In Spring of 1918 he was

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involved in a attack with the German’s. The battle
lasted a long time and on 6th May William was
killed, aged 33, while using a type of canon to
defend his position.
William is buried in LaClytte Military Cemetery in
Belgium.

This is the cemetery where William is buried in
Belgium.

This is the house where William and his family
lived before he married and moved to Lichfield.

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