Mark Hone Posted 27 October , 2002 Share Posted 27 October , 2002 As part of my continuing research on the Bury Grammar School roll of honour I am trying to find out about Lieutenant Wardleworth, who was the first former pupil to die on the Western Front (24th October 1914). He is buried at Ste Marie Cemetery, Le Havre. He was 34, the only son of Dr. Douglas and Annie Wardleworth of Bury and the husband of Mary Wardleworth of Welborne Rectory, Dereham in Norfolk. Unfortunately the CWGC register is as far as it goes-no obituary for him appeared in the local Bury Times newspaper or the paper's later 'Book of Honour'(unlike the rest of our 1914-15 dead). The RAMC archives only have his date of death, he does not appear in their 'Drew Rolls' and was therefore not a regular officer. I have even tried writing to the present occupiers of Welborne Rectory, to no avail. (The letter was presumably delivered as I put a return address on it and it has never been returned). Can any of the fiendishly knowledgable and ingenious members of this forum suggest any other avenues of research? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 27 October , 2002 Share Posted 27 October , 2002 Mark Go to www.at-sheringham-norfolk.co.uk/cha/warmemorialnames/douglaswardleworth.htm where you will find details of your man and a surviving relative- his grandson. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 27 October , 2002 Author Share Posted 27 October , 2002 Thanks Terry-an amazing coincidence. I have contacted the owners of the site, as I wonder if the grandson has a photograph I could use for our archive. Interestingly, the wrong date of death is given for Wardleworth on the site. Unfortunately it looks as if the circumstances of his death are a mystery-he obviously died in a base hospital in Le Havre but other than that no-one seems to know. I am already planning my 2004 school Battlefields Tour (believe it or not) based around the First Battle of Ypres ('A Contemptible Little Army') and I would be interested to find out if Wardleworth was wounded there as seems fairly likely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 21 April , 2005 Author Share Posted 21 April , 2005 Wardleworth actually drowned in a swimming accident at Le Havre while working at a Base Hospital there. By a strange coincidence the first two Bury Grammar School boys to die in the war both drowned in 'civilian' accidents. Although I did contact some of his relatives alas no photograph was forthcoming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big jar of wasps Posted 21 April , 2005 Share Posted 21 April , 2005 Don`t bother with the Corps Museum at Keogh, they don`t hold any records. Your best bet is the PRO or local press. Good luck!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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