War Memorials Elsewhere, - Seaham (New Seaham), Co. Durham

The New Seaham Cenotaph, Seaham (Co. Durham).
(Photo : Detection3)

The War Memorial in New Seaham's Town Park has previously been taken as being the main memorial which commemorated the names of those from Seaham who lost their lives in the two World Wars.
This memorial is a cenotaph-type structure, surmounted by slightly larger than life size sculptures of a sailor and a soldier with an Angel on the top. The memorial includes the names of the dead of both the First and Second World War.

There are 184 names of the dead of the First World War. Of these names 26 are for soldiers who served in the Yorkshire Regiment. Photos of the First World War commemorative panels, and information on those soldiers of the Yorkshire Regiment commemorated on this memorial are provided below.

Until recently (ca. 2018) the main War Memorial for Seaham, Co. Durham, was the Cenotaph on Terrace Green, overlooking Seaham Harbour. This particular memorial has no names commemorated on it.
However, a unique War Memorial has been created on Terrace Green, consisting of metallic poppies on a fence overlooking the harbour. Each poppy commemorates the name of a person who lost their life in both World Wars and subsequent conflicts. This particluar memorial is now the main Seaham War Memorial, in conjection with the Cenotaph on Terrace Green.

The War Memorial in St. Mary's Church, Seaham, only commemorates 10 names for the First World War, 3 of whom served in the Yorkshire Regiment.

Private George Barker, 18366. 6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of the late Robert and Elizabeth Jane Barker, of New Seaham Colliery, Co. Durham. Killed 12 December 1915. Aged 39.
Born Seaham, Enlisted Seaham.
Buried HILL 10 CEMETERY.

Private Norman Cole. 19388. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 30 September 1916.
Born Seaham Colliery, Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided Seaham Colliery.
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, Thiepval Memorial.

Private Michael Cook, 18565. 6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 10 September 1915.
Born Seaham Colliery, Enlisted Sunderland, Resided New Seaham.
Buried HILL 10 CEMETERY.

Private Thomas Bond Cooper, 14174. 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of William Laws Cooper and Dorothy Cooper, of Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham; husband of Caroline Charlotte Stanton (formerly Cooper), of Brookfield House, Havelock St., Aylesbury. Killed 5 January 1918. Aged 24.
Born Seaham (Sunderland), Enlisted Seaham.
Buried RAILWAY DUGOUTS BURIAL GROUND.

Private James Cowley, 14788. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mrs. M. Cowley, of 14, Clara St., New Seaham, Co. Durham, and the late Michael Cowley. Killed on 11 August 1915. Aged 21.
Born Seaham Harbour, Enlisted Sunderland, Resided Seaham Colliery.
Commemorated Panel 55 to 58, Helles Memorial.
(SDGW gives Christian name as "Joseph").

Private John James Doyle. 205323. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 23 March 1918.
Born Jarrow (Durham), Enlisted Sunderland, Resided Jarrow.
Commemorated Panel 31 and 32, Pozieres Memorial.
(Can't be certain that this is the name on the memorial. The inscribed name appears to be "Dovley J J, which may be a way of correcting the "V" by a "Y").

Private Thomas Guy, 18016. 5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Norah Elizabeth Guy, of 8, Maria St., Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. Killed 25 May 1918. Aged 30.
Born Seaham Harbour, Enlisted Sunderland, Resided Seaham Harbour.
Commemorated on the Soissons Memorial.

Private John Harrison, 16572. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mrs. Margaret Harrison, of Seaham Harbour; husband of Mary Langley (formerly Harrison), of 44, High Hazel Rd., Thorne, Moor Ends, Doncaster. Died at home 1 February 1917. Aged 27.
Born Hartlepool, Enlisted Sunderland, Resided Seaham Harbour.
Buried SEAHAM CEMETERY.

Private David Hodges, 16105. 6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Agnes and the late Matthew Hodges, of 8, Cornish St., New Seaham, Co. Durham. Killed 22 July 1916. Aged 21.
Born New Seaham, Enlisted Sunderland, Resided New Seaham.
Buried AVESNES-LE-COMTE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.

Private George Kirby, 21153. 4th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Elizabeth Kirby, of 6, William St., Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham, and the late Robert Kirby. Died 11 November 1918. Aged 23.
Born Seaham, Enlisted Seaham Harbour.
Buried COLOGNE SOUTHERN CEMETERY.

Private Anthony Lucas. 13619. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 28 September 1915.
Born Whitehaven (Cumberland), Enlisted Seaham Harbour.
Commemorated Panel 44 and 45, Loos memorial.

Private John William Martin, 18929. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mrs Alice Martin, of 18, William St., New Seaham, Co. Durham. Killed 8 July 1916. Aged 28.
Born Seaham Harbour, Enlisted Seaham Harbour.
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, Thiepval Memorial.

Sapper John Moffatt, 147611. 180th Tunnelling Coy Corps of Royal Engineers, formerly 16601 Yorkshire Regiment. Son of John and Mary Ann Moffatt, of 2, Bloomfield St., Monkwearmouth, Co. Durham. Killed 6 March 1916. Aged 36.
Born Willington (Co. Durham), Enlisted Sunderland (Co. Durham).
Commemorated Panel 4 and 5, Loos Memorial.

Private Thomas Parker. 18413. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 31 July 1917.
Born Seaham Harbour (Durham), Enlisted Sunderland, Resided Seaham Colliery.
Commemorated Panel 33, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
(SDGW Gives regimental number as 18473).

Private James Ploughman. 15663. 6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mrs. Margaret Ploughman, of 3, South Railway St., Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. Killed 5 November 1915. Aged 22.
Born Seaham Harbour, Enlisted Seaham.
Buried HILL 10 CEMETERY.
(Shown on the memorial as "J Plowman")

Private Joseph Rawling. 18809. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of the late Robert and Margaret Ann Rawling; husband of Mary Isabell Purcell (formerly Rawling), of 25, Cornish St., New Seaham, Co. Durham. Killed 9 October 1917. Aged 41.
Born Seaham Colliery, Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided New Seaham.
Commemorated Panel 52 to 54 and 162A, Tyne Cot Memorial.

Private James William Simpson, 18951. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of the late James and Jane Simpson, of Seaham Colliery; husband of Mary Ann Simpson of 3 Back, Church St., Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. Killed 11 April 1917. Aged 29.
Born Hetton-le-Hole, Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided New Seaham Colliery.
Buried COJEUL BRITISH CEMETERY, ST. MARTIN-SUR-COJEUL.
(The CWGC register incorrectly lists his Regimental Number as 18351, - the correct number is shown on the headstone)

Private George Vickers. 18594. 9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 18 September 1916.
Born Pennsylvania (America), Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided New Seaham Colliery.
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, Thiepval Memorial.

Private John Waites. 19314. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Nephew of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Waites, of 26, Henry St., Seaham Colliery, Co. Durham. Killed 28 September 1915. Aged 24.
Born Boldon Close (Durham), Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided New Seaham Colliery.
Commemorated Panel 44 and 45, Loos Memorial.

Serjeant Joseph Walton, MM. 17632. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 11 April 1917.
Born Seaham (Sunderland), Enlisted Seaham, Resided New Seaham.
Commemorated Bay 5, Arras Memorial.

Private Richardson Watson. 14129. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Richardson Watson, of 4, Mary St., Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham; and the late Meggie Watson. Killed 10 July 1916. Aged 20.
Born Seaham Harbour, Enlisted Seaham Harbour.
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, Thiepval Memorial.

Private Robert Wears, 15668. 6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 26 October 1915.
Born Seaham, Enlisted Seaham Harbour.
Buried HILL 10 CEMETERY.

Private John William Williams, 18877. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Ann and the late Matthew Williams; husband of Alice Levitt (formerly Williams), of 5, Wynyard St., Dawdon, Seaham Harbour. Died at home 6 July 1917. Aged 38.
Born Usworth, Enlisted Seaham Harbour.
Buried SEAHAM CEMETERY.
(The Seaham War memorial lists a "C Williams", but the above Williams appears to be the only Williams with a connection to Seaham, - and he isn't shown on the memorial!)

Private Hardy Wilkinson, 14072. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 14 February 1916.
Born Seaham (Sunderland), Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided New Seaham.
Buried BEDFORD HOUSE CEMETERY.

Private Frederick Wood, 17778. 9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 10 July 1916.
Born Seaham Harbour, Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided Seaham Colliery.
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, Thiepval Memorial.

Private Joseph Wright, 17835. 7th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Robert Mathew Wright and Jane Wright, of 37, Cornish St., New Seaham, Co. Durham. Killed 20 September 1916. Aged 20.
Born Seaham Harbour, Enlisted Sunderland, Resided Dawdon (Co. Durham).
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, Thiepval Memorial.

Select the small sized image to obtain a larger sized image which opens in a new window. Photos by Edward Nicholl.

The Seaham War Memorial
Photo by Edward Nicholl, <emn@enicholl.com>

The Seaham War Memorial
Photo by Edward Nicholl, <emn@enicholl.com>

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