North Yorkshire War Memorials, - Eston Cemetery

There is a War Memorial in Eston Cemetery, which is inscribed;-

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF THE MEN FROM THE
CHURCH AND PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918.

There are 93 names on this memorial, of which 42 are for men of the Yorkshire Regiment. It would appear that almost all of the names occur on the Middlesbrough War Memorial (at the entrance to Albert Park), though there are some which occur on other memorials, - e.g. Erasmus Darwin on the Saltburn War Memorial.

The War Memorial in Eston Cemetery
Photo by Ray Wilkins (<e2ray3636@ntlworld.com>)

The names of those recorded as having lost their lives in the First World War are (Yorkshire Regiment names highlighted in bold type);-

(1) There were two "J Bell" soldiers of the Yorkshire Regiment from Middlesbrough who died in the First World War. BOTH are shown below.
(2) Correct spelling ="F Beniston"
(3) Very likely to be "D Connelly" as correct spelling. There are NO "D Connoly" names in SDGW or CWGC register.
(4) Very likely to be "J R Dale".
(5) Correct spelling = "R Ramsay"
(6) Correct spelling = "S Sergeant"

Lance Corporal Samuel Alder. 13181. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 11 July 1916.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried DARTMOOR CEMETERY, BECORDEL-BECOURT

Private Charles Robert Allison. 10791. 13th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 28 April 1917.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, Thiepval Memorial.

Private William Armstrong. 201582. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 15 September 1916.
Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, Thiepval Memorial.

Private John Charles Ashfield. 12254. "A" Coy, 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Charles and Sarah Ashfield, of 68, Feversham St., Middlesbrough. Died 24 September 1915. Aged 21.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY.

Private John James Barton. 11325. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Brother of Mrs. Annie M. Manus, of 31, Bridge St. East, Middlesbrough. Died 17 September 1915. Aged 20.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Thornaby-on-Tees, Resided Middlesbrough.
Buried VOORMEZEELE ENCLOSURE No.3.

Private David Bell. 10616. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Robert and Elizabeth Bell, of 13, Wear St., Middlesbrough. Died 30 October 1916. Aged31.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried in Middlesbrough (Linthorpe) Cemetery.

Private James Bell. 6082. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Mary Bell, of 4, Rutland St., Middlesbrough. Died 15 June 1915. Aged 30.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 12, Le Touret Memorial.

Private John Bell. 8614. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 8 December 1915.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried HOUPLINES COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.

Lieutenant Miles Bennison. 9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Marion R. Wright (formerly Bennison), of 51, Woodlaws Road, Middlesbrough. Killed 1 October 1917. Aged 27.
Commemorated Panel 52 to 54 and 162A, Tyne Cot Memorial.

Private Frederick Beniston. 26709. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Brother of Mrs. Pauline Hunter, of 7, Oak St., Middlesbrough. Died 18 October 1916. Aged 31.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried HEBUTERNE MILITARY CEMETERY.

Private Ernest Binns, 41866. 2nd Battalion King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry), formerly 22899 Yorkshire Regiment. Died 20 November 1918.
Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried CAUDRY BRITISH CEMETERY.

Private Arthur Brown. 21185. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 28 October 1917.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 52 to 54 and 162A, Tyne Cot Memorial.

Private David Challis. 10453. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 1 July 1916. Aged 20.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried PERONNE ROAD CEMETERY, MARICOURT.

Private George Frederick Clarke. 3/9303. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Mary Elizabeth Clarke, of 4, Tees St., Middlesbrough. Died 15 June 1915. Aged 34.
Born Gibraltar, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 12, Le Touret Memorial.

Private David Connelly, 36141. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 4 October 1917.
Enlisted Middlesbrough.

Private Matthew Conway. 3/8011. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 12 March 1915.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided Luddenfoot. (Luddenden Foot, near Halifax?)
Commemorated Panel 12, Le Touret Memorial.

Corporal Albert Ernest Coxon. 20935. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Emma C. Coxon, of "Wave Crest", Shipley Terrace, Marske-by-the-Sea, Yorks. Died 11 April 1917. Aged 38.
Born Stillington (Durham), Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Bay 5, Arras Memorial.

Private John Robert Dale, 13059. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Christopher George Dale, of 57, West St., Normanby, Eston, Yorks. Died 3 July 1916. Aged 30.
Buried HEILLY STATION CEMETERY, MERICOURT-L'ABBE.
Born Normanby, Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided Normanby.

2nd Lieutenant Erasmus Darwin. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Horace and Ida Darwin, of The Orchard, Cambridge. Grandson of naturalist Charles Darwin and statistician Thomas Farrer, 1st Baron Farrer. Died 24 April 1915. Aged 33.
Commemorated Panel 33, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Sergeant John Albert Duffy, MM. 11959. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Patrick and Annie Elizabeth Duffy; husband of Margaret Duffy, of 40, Unthank St., Middlesbrough. Died 29 October 1918. Aged 28.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Thornaby, Resided Middlesbrough.
Buried TEZZE BRITISH CEMETERY.

Private Alexander Farquharson. 12259. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 11 July 1916.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, Thiepval Memorial.

Private John Robert Fagan. 3/7940. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 1 July 1916.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried PERONNE ROAD CEMETERY, MARICOURT.

Private Henry Fowler. 7227. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 25 September 1915.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Richmond, Resided Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 44 and 45, Loos Memorial.

Private Patrick Gallagher. 23971. 13th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Patrick and Elizabeth Gallagher, of 10, Crown St., Middlesbrough; husband of Rose Gallagher, of 101, East St., Middlesbrough. Died 13 April 1918. Aged 27.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 4, Ploegsteert Memorial.

Private John Edward Gillings. 11589. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of E. and H. Gillings, of 39, Telford St., North Ormesby, Middlesbrough; husband of Minnie Harris (formerly Gillings), of 102, Parliament St., Middlesbrough. Died 10 July 1916. Aged 28.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, Thiepval Memorial.

2nd Lieutenant Walter Hall. 5th Battalion (attached to 2nd Battalion) Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Robert Sidney and Minnie Hall, of Middlesbrough. Died 15 November 1918. Aged 25.
Buried TERLINCTHUN BRITISH CEMETERY, WIMILLE.

Private John Robert Hodgson. 243303. 5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of George and Harriet Hodgson, of Middlesbrough. Died 24 April 1917. Aged 19.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried BUCQUOY ROAD CEMETERY, FICHEUX.

Private Thomas Hughes. 5948. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 15 May 1915.
Born Aldershot, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 12, Le Touret Memorial.

Private Stephen Jeffcock. 24667. 9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Richard Jeffcock, of 2, Auckland Place, Middlesbrough. Died 20 September 1917. Aged 19.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 52 to 54 and 162A, Tyne Cot Memorial.

Private John William Lawrence. 32903. 13th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Henry Lawrence, of 25, Argyle St., Middlesbrough, and the late Elizabeth Lawrence. Died 22 March 1918. Aged 20.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Bay 5, Arras Memorial.

Private John William MacDonald. 3/7966. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 15 June 1915.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 12, Le Touret Memorial.

Lance Corporal Patrick McCabe. 30840. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 27 May 1918.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Soissons Memorial.

Private Michael McCue. 7121. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 6 October 1915.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried NIEDERZWEHREN CEMETERY.

Private Charles William Miller. 1490. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 25 April 1915.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 33, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Private Edwin Morgan. 1750. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Morgan, of 46, Suffield St., Middlesbrough. Died 14 January 1916. Aged 20.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried MAPLE COPSE CEMETERY.

Private George Edward Pattison. 13151. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 19 April 1917.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried FEUCHY BRITISH CEMETERY.

Private William Pollock. 201202. 4th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Died at home 20 June 1918. Aged 26.
(see below for further information on William Pollock)
* Curiously, William Pollock is not shown on the Eston Memorial even though he lived in Gladstone Street which is a street leading off the main twon square, - where the memorial is located.

Private Richard Ramsay. 11460. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 7 October 1917.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 52 to 54 and 162A, Tyne Cot Memorial.

Private Thomas Ernest Robinson. 33292. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 9 October 1917.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Malton, Resided Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 52 to 54 and 162A, Tyne Cot Memorial.

Private Joseph Rogers. 3/7920. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 10 July 1916.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided North Ormesby.
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, Thiepval Memorial.

Private Samuel Sargeant. 11008. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 3 July 1916.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried CORBIE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.

Private Timothy Shane. 19746. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 22 August 1915.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 55 to 58, Helles Memorial.

Private James Thompson. 10008. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of James Thompson, of 43, Calvert St., Middlesbrough. Died 22 October 1914. Aged 19.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 33, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Serjeant Thomas Williams, MM. 12110. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Christina Williams, of 2, Auckland Place, Lower East St., Middlesbrough. Died 29 September 1917. Aged 26.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried NEW IRISH FARM CEMETERY.

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One of the side panels on the Eston Cemetery War Memorial, showing significant damage to the lettering.
Photo by Ray Wilkins (<e2ray3636@ntlworld.com>)

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Private William Pollock, 201202 (prev. 3967), 4th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment.

William Pollock enlisted in the Yorkshire Regiment on 26 May 1915, and was in action (in Armentieres) on 15 November 1915.
As a result of a fall in a trench he suffered from Osteo Arthritis in his left knee, with hypertrophy of the bone.
He was discharged as being medically unfit on 13 December 1917.
He died on 20 June 1918, aged 26.
The cause of his death, and where he was buried, are unkown.
The above information can be seen in his Pension Record held in the National Archives.
Additionally, his Pension Record shows that he had been a Stevedore, and lived at 92 Gladsone Street in Middlesbrough. He was married (wife's name not given), and had one son, William, who was born on 16 January 1916.
From the 1911 census, he was the stepson of Thomas Reece Davies and Mary Ann Davies, and was living at 15 Fry Street in Middlesbrough. He had several brothers and sisters, all living at the same address.

The fact that the death of William Pollock is not recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, or Soldiers Died in the Great War, will have something to do with him being discharged to Pension and possibly not being in the Reserves at the time of his death. There are at least two other examples of Yorkshire Regiment soldiers who died in the War and whose deaths are not recorded by the CWGC / SDGW.

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