776018, Lance Bombardier, William Copley SHOESMITH
Aged 20
|
William Copley SHOESMITH was born on 8th July 1897 in Leeds (Holbeck Q3-1897 9B:326), baptised at Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Beeston Hill
on 19th September 1897, only son of Ned and Lucy SHOESMITH (née COPLEY). 1901 census...Aged 3, he was at 8 Noster Hill, Beeston, Yorkshire with his father Ned SHOESMITH [33] iron and steel founders traveller; his mother Lucy Ann [34] and sister Nellia [7]. All were born in Leeds. 1911 census...Aged 13, he was in school, and at Noster Hill still, with his parents and sister Nellie. Father now a manager. His entry on CWGC gives "Old E.A.S.boy". |
|
He enlisted in Leeds.
His entry in Du Ruvigny's Roll of Honour reads:- SHOESMITH, WILLIAM COPLEY: Signaller, No.776018, 245th West Riding Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (T.F.), only s. of Ned Shoesmith of 8 Noster Hill, Beeston, co. York, a director of Messrs William Towler & Co. Ltd., Globe Foundry, Leeds, by his wife Lucy Ann, dau. of the late Benjamin COPLEY, of Leeds; b. Leeds 8 July,1897; educ. East Anglian School, Bury St.Edmunds, co. Suffolk; joined the Royal Field Artillery 9th June 1915; served with the Expeditionary Forces in France and Flanders from the following Nov., and was killed in action near Ypres 10 April, 1918. Buried in Vlamertinge Cemetery. An officer wrote: "He was an excellent signaller and always willing to do his job, and I had only just promoted him to Bombardier because he so thoroughly deserved it." Unm. The war diary has not yet been found. |
photo: Roy Beardsworth
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details