Act/Cpl 8626 William, Leslie Haddock

[AlanElliott]

Hi, I'd like to introduce myself with my reason and 'credentials' for becoming a member.  I found this whilst surfing  -  Act/Cpl 8626 William, Leslie Haddock of 19 Matlock St Peel green Manchester has received shrapnel wound to the shoulder at Trones wood on the 9th July and has been sent to 3rd General hospital  at Boulogne. Now in the David Lewis Northern hospital ,Liverpool aged 23. A salesman at the CWS Balloon St Manchester.   This was my maternal grandfather to whom I was very close and who played a great part in my upbringing.  His best friend and I believe second cousin was -  Private THOMAS HENRY MARSH 8744, 17th Bn., Manchester Regiment
who died age 25 on 03 May 1916 Husband of Agnes B. Marsh, of 47A, New Lane, Patricroft, Manchester. Remembered with honour
SUZANNE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.  I have researched as far as I am able my grandfathers service history but this is pretty sketchy once he returned to the UK after being wounded and I wondered if any members could point me in the right direction for further research.

Alan Elliott

[mack]

hiya alan.
welcome to the forum,thomas henry marsh also worked for the CWS,pete thomas who is one of our moderators and also a author,has a photo of the CWS memorial at balloon st

mack

[AlanElliott]

Hi Mack thanks for that, I didnt know that and yet I'm sure that I will have seen the memorial as a child.  My Grandfather returned to the mens outfitters department at Balloon Street as a salesman after the war and remained there until his retirement in 1961.  We were taken there once a year to be fitted out with our 'Sunday best' outfits but my memories are very sketchy now as it is over 50 years ago.  I am very glad that this and other forums remember the extraordinary bravery of these, in other respects, very ordinary people.  Our generation (I'm 62) are the last of those that knew them and perhaps only now many years after they have gone recognise the selfless sacrifices of that generation.  I personally am very proud of my grandfather and remember him with great fondness.

[harribobs]

Hi Alan

and welcome to the forum

i'm going to move this over to great war section

we have a superb section on the 17th battn on the main site

17th battalion

cheers
chris