| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Abner Blyth was born in Beverley the 13 Jul 1882 and was baptized at St Mary’s church the 6 Sep 1882, the son of Abner and Louisa Blyth (nee Payne). His father and grandfather had a tailor’s shop in Beverley. In 1901 Abner was an apprentice cabinet maker and was fully qualified by the time of his marriage in 1908. He married Florence Elwell on 26 Aug 1908 at St Mary’s church, Beverley. They had 3 children and lived in Mill Lane, Beverley.
Abner served with the 8th Battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light infantry rising to the rank of Corporal. He served in France in 1915. In 1917 the Battalion was sent to Italy and remained there for the rest of the war and took part in the decisive battle of Vittoria Vento. He was awarded the War and Victory medals and the 1914-15 Star.
Abner returned to work as a cabinet maker. In 1939 he was living Romsey, Hampshire. According to an article on the Portsmouth Evening News in 1950, Abner was the officer responsible for discipline at the University College of Navigation, Southampton. The article describes his 17 day pilgrimage back to the French and Italian Battlefields. He died in Portsmouth the 5 Feb 1960.
Includes information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |