WORLD WAR I INTEREST: A death plaque to 4045 Private William...

Hammer

£100

WORLD WAR I INTEREST: A death plaque to 4045 Private William Birtwistle of 1st/5th Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment, who died on 3rd October 1916 aged 19, and is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial, with commemorative scroll, Form W.3038 from the Territorial Forces Association, War Office Effects Form 45B, and William's diary for 1916 containing several brief entries, including "15 August - Came out of trenches for a rest. Pte Whiltbram got killed coming out", "31 August - Wounded in hand with shrapnell at Theathvell" [sic], and "3 September - Got into [indistinct] hospital at Bouloing" [sic] (5)

NOTE: William was one five brothers, and one of ten grandsons of Mrs Wakefield of Cuddington, to serve in World War I (see Northwich Guardian October 22nd 1915). He was the only one to die at the front.