| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
William was the eldest son of George and Margery Short, born in Feb 1895 and baptised at Beverley Minster. In 1901 George and Margery Patterson Short were living at 46 St Andrew Street with their children William, Emma and Henry. By 1911 they had moved to 3 Cherry Tree Terrace, with a further three children, George Edward, Arthur and Elsie. William aged 16 was working at the tannery.
In Oct 1915 William enlisted with East Riding Yeomanry for 4 years home service. He was not quite 21 and gave his occupation as groom. In the spring of 1916 William spent a month at East Leeds War Hospital, Harehills Road, Leeds. William was transferred to 4th (Reserve) Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment in Dec 1916 and immediately posted to the 8th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment. He embarked at Folkestone and arrived in Boulogne on Boxing Day.
Throughout the spring of 1917 the 8th East Yorkshires was engaged in trench war fare, firstly on the Arras front and then on the Somme. On 26 Sep 1917 an attack was planned to take the Belgium village of Zonnebeke and the 8th East Yorkshires was one of the lead Battalions. William's army service record notes “Regarded for official purposes dead on or since 26 Sep”.
William’s photograph appeared in the Beverley Guardian on 17 Nov with a caption saying his mother had received word that he was missing. On the same day the Hull Daily Mail published their list of War Casualties with William’s name included in the Missing. William was found and 4 discs returned to his family. His final resting place is Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Bedford House Cemetery south of Ypres and less than 8 miles from Zonnebeke.
William is remembered on East Yorkshire Regimental memorial in Beverley Minster, on Beverley Hengate War Memorial, on Grovehill Road Street Shrine, on Independent Order of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity Friendly Society (Loyal Triumph 952) Beverley District Roll of Honour and on Hodgson’s Tannery Roll of Honour.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |