Lives of the First World War

Our Grandparents generation was the one most affected by the First World War, whether they served or kept essential services going or waited behind for loved ones. We have listed below the family members we have found who served in the military during the war, but all would have been affected in many different ways. 

Crowther

Joseph Crowther (1890-1969) Service number Z/201

Grandad in  the centre

Grandad served with the Royal Naval Reserve. He enlisted in RNVR Tyneside division 4th company in March 1909 when he was 18 years old. He was a painter by trade and he underwent a painters training course in 1911 on board HMS Vanguard. His service ended in February 1914 and in July that year he married Grandma, Margaret Slaughter, in Jarrow.  Eight days later World War One began.  Grandad re-enlisted in the Navy in October 1914. He sailed in HMS Victory in October 1914 but spent most of his time at sea in HMS Duncan where he would have seen action in the Adriatic Sea in the second half of 1915 and first half of 1916.  HMS Duncan then transferred to the Aegean Sea based at Salonika taking part in operations against Greek royalists who opposed entering the war on the side of the Allies.  In February 1917 HMS Duncan returned to Sheerness and Grandad was based on shore until he was demobilised in February 1919. Grandad continued to serve in the RNVR until 1933; he was awarded RNVR long service and good conduct medal and was invited to the Jubilee review of the RNVR by the Queen.

George Wouldhave Crowther (1892-1915) Service number C382

George was Grandad’s brother; he was two years younger than Grandad. He was living at 8 Dee St, Jarrow in 1914, working at Palmers as a driller, when he attested with Kings Royal Rifle Corps in September. He served for 33 days before being discharged as not formally approved. This was almost certainly because he was ill and he died on 25th November 1914 of Lobar Pneumonia; the informant was William Robson Wouldhave, his uncle. He was buried in Jarrow Cemetery aged 23 on 28th Nov 1915.

Joseph Frederick Crowther (1896-1918) Service number 39998

Joseph was the son of James Francis Crowther (Grandad’s uncle) and Georgina Wouldhave (Grandad’s aunt).  So he was a cousin to Grandad through both parents. Joseph was only seven years old when his father died.  Georgina married John Chambers in 1905.  The family were living in Queens Road Jarrow in the 1911 census; Joseph is described as an apprentice plumber.

Joseph attested in December 1915.  His conduct sheet has a number of offences recorded including twice being absent and apprehended by the civil police; he served 28 days of detention for each offence. Joseph served with B company 20^th battalion of the Durham Light Infantry and he was killed in action on 23^rd March 1918 aged 22 years. He is buried in Vaulx Hill Cemetery at Pas de Calais, France.  The inscription on his headstone reads “Free from sorrow, free from pain, safe in God’s keeping until we meet again,” which was chosen by his brother George Francis Crowther.

Charles Crowther (1895-1961) Service number 30961

Charles was Grandad’s cousin.  His parents were Joseph Crowther and Mary Ann (nee Davies).  He was born in Liverpool, the youngest of six children. The family were living at 10 River Avon Street in the 1911 census.  Charles was an office boy working at a General Merchants.  Charles enlisted on 4^th August 1915.  He joined the Manchester Regiment, Infantry.  He was posted to India in February 1916 and appointed as a Corporal a month later.  He saw service in Allahabad and in July 1917 he was hospitalised for seven days with colitis. He was promoted to sergeant in March 1918 and posted to Singapore in August 2018; he spent seven days in hospital suffering from influenza that same month.

Charles stayed in service in Singapore for another 18 months, finally embarking for home in 1920.  While he was in the regiment his father became ill and his mother sent a heartfelt letter to his commander asking if there was any possibility of his coming home since his father wondered if he would ever see his son again. Fortunately Charles did return before his father’s death in 1921.

Letter from Mary Ann Crowther regarding her son returning home

Charles married Eva Eleanor Neale in Birkenhead in 1923 and was living in Fallowfield Rd, Liverpool in the 1939 register; his occupation was gas meter inspector and collector.  He died aged 66 in 1961 in Denbyshire.

William Henry Slaughter (1895-1973) Service number 680 and 767305 and 22/762

William was Grandma’s younger brother.  He was born in 1895 and was a pupil at St Oswald’s School in Hebburn.  In the 1911 census he was working in a coal mine. When he attested to the Territorial force in 1913 he was working for the Wallsend and Jarrow Mining Company. William served with the Royal Field Artillery, Durham Battery and was deployed in France after war broke out. In 1915 he suffered gunshot wounds to his head and neck but survived following hospital treatment.  In March 1916 he was appointed Acting Bombardier and promoted to Corporal in July 2017. He married Elizabeth McGibbon in March 1918 at St John’s, Hebburn when he was on furlough for a month from 22^nd February, before returning to France. Following the war William continued to serve in the Territorials as a Gunner with the Royal Regiment of Artillery until 1930. In the 1939 register he was living at Mons Ave, Hebburn working as a Fitter’s Labourer in the shipyards. He died in 1973 aged 77 years and Elizabeth, his wife, died in 1976 aged 82 years. 

McAndrew

William Burridge (1889-1972) Service number 104627

William was Grandma’s cousin, the eldest son of Mark Burridge and Elizabeth Ann (nee Wilkinson).  William was born in 1889 and the family were living in Pelton in the 1911 census, four of the sons were working in the Durham coal mines, including William and his brother Edward whose information is given in the section below.  Mark tragically took his own life in 1915. He was found drowned in the Colliery reservoir.  He had not worked for the past 14 years having suffered from mental disease.  He had been missing since 18th October and was found dead 27th November 1915.

William enlisted with the Durham Light Infantry in December 1915 but was placed on the reserve list, no doubt because the country needed coal miners.  He was mobilised in June 1918 to France and returned home in November 1918. In the 1939 register he was living at the family home, 6 Eden Place, Beamish, with his mother, sister and niece.  William died in 1972 aged 82 years.

George Edward Burridge (1895-1977) Service number 301067

George Edward seems to have been known as Edward.  He was Grandma’s cousin, the sixth child of Mark Burridge and Elizabeth Ann (nee Wilkinson); he was born in 1895.

Edward enlisted in July 1915 and joined the Durham Light Infantry.  He was posted to France in March 1916. He was listed as a prisoner of War in May 1918 and was not repatriated until the end of December 1918. An estimated 192,000 British and Commonwealth servicemen were taken captive during the First World War; there is no comprehensive list covering these PoWs. The International Committee of the Red Cross does have some information regarding poWs.  Edward was noted as being taken prisoner at Craone in France.

Edward returned to mining when he got home and he married Florence Isabel Richardson in autumn 1919. They had six children.  In the 1939 register they are living at 64 ‘D’ Street West, Chester Le Street.  Edward died in 1977 aged 81 and Florence died in 1981aged 80.

John Alfred Burridge (1891-) Service number 202260

Form from John Alfred Burridge acknowledging
the receipt of his war medals 

John Alfred, Grandma’s cousin, was the first son of Thomas (Tom) Burridge and Emma (nee Owers).  In the 1911 census they are living at Slaidburn Road, Stanley.  Although Tom was a coal miner neither of his sons became miners. John was an assistant teacher; his brother Frederick’s information is given in the section below.

John attested in February 1915.  He was initially assigned to the Army Service Corps and appointed Corporal in September 1917. In December 1917 he was re-assigned to the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own).  He was wounded in action in April 1918 in France; he suffered a gunshot wound to his right thigh.  After spending time in a military hospital he was granted leave from 26^th June 1918 until 5^th July.  In this time he married Hilda Muriel Nicholson who was an assistant school mistress in South Moor. John was discharged in February 1919. 

In the 1939 register he is living at Pelaw Ave, Stanley with his wife and his daughter Jean (born July 1924).  At the time he is an Assistant School Master.  John died in 1966, aged 75, and Hilda died in 1967 aged 78.

Frederick George Burridge (1892-1970) Service number 2322

Frederick was John Alfred’s brother, also Grandma’s cousin, and the second son of Tom Burridge and Emma (nee Owers). In the 1911 census he was an apprentice grocer.

Frederick attested in June 1915 with the 3^rd line 2^nd Northumbrian Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. Before he was posted to France in December 1917, he married Nellie Nesbit in early 1916 and they had a daughter, Doris, in October that year.  Frederick was in France until he was demobilised in April 1919.  In the 1939 register he is a shop assistant in a grocers living in The Ridgeway, South Shields.  He was also an ARP warden at a First Aid post in the Second World War. He died in 1970 aged 77 years and Nellie died in 1980 aged 87 years. 

The Imperial War Museum Lives of the First World War

https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/search#Category=lifestories&FreeSearch=&PageIndex=1&PageSize=20

On this website everyone is encouraged to ‘remember’, to add details, including photos and stories, to create a memorial for ancestors who are named on this website. We have ‘remembered’ all of the relatives we can find and we would encourage you to look at the website, remember our relatives and add any further information if you have any.