| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Joseph Welch was born at 55 Cleveland Street, Wilmington, Hull, on 18 Dec 1890, the son of Jonas Welch, a rulleyman, and Margaret Jane, nee Foster. In the 1880s the family lived in Hutton Cranswick. Shortly after Joseph's birth they moved from Wilmington to Grovehill Road, Beverley. Three family deaths followed, Joseph's brother Bethel, died aged 15 in 1899; sister, Jane Ann died aged 14 in 1903; and his mother Margaret died in Dec 1905. Five years later, Jonas Welch married his second wife, Kate Annie Hullock.
Private Joseph Welch enlisted in the 1st/5th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (Territorial Force) on 19 Mar 1913. The Battalion formed part of the 148th Brigade of the 49th (West Riding) Division which proceeded to France on 13 Apr 1915 and concentrated at Estaires, on the River Lys, to the west of Armentieres. The 49th Division first went into action at Aubers Ridge in May 1915. By Dec 1915, they had moved further north and were at Wieltje in the Ypres Sector when the first German phosgene gas attack occurred. In the summer of 1916 they took part in the Battles of the Somme at Albert, Bazentin Ridge, Pozieres Ridge and Flers-Courcelette. By late Jun 1917 the 1st/5th Battalion was in the trenches near Neuve Chapelle, Pas-de-Calais. The Beverley Guardian of 7 Jul 1917 reported that Lance-Corporal Joseph Welch had been wounded and was in hospital in France. After a period of hospitalization, and as a consequence of his injuries, Joseph was transferred to the Labour Corps.
In the Spring of 1918 Joseph married Frances Annie Swetnam at the Register Office in Doncaster. He received his military discharge on 18 Feb 1919 and was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and the Silver War Badge. Joseph returned home to his wife in New Edlington, near Doncaster where they had two daughters, Dorothy born 1919 and Lillian born 1921. At the time of the 1939 National Registration Joseph and his family lived at 121 Bentinck Street, Doncaster. He was employed as a general labourer.
Joseph Welch died in 1952 aged 62, Frances died in 1970.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |