17593 Private Harold Wadsworth
'D' Company
8th(Service)Battalion
Devonshire Regiment
1st July 1916
Born in Halifax Yorkshire in 1896.
His parents were George Wadsworth(28/04/1872-1947) and Alice Wray(22/01/1874-1947). They were married in 1895.
In the 1901 census, the family were recorded as living at
5 Tyson Street, Halifax, Yorkshire. George was employed as a French polisher, a trade he would do throughout his life.
In the 1911 census, it showed that the family had moved to Todmorden near Halifax and were living at 12 Sackville Street.
Harold enlisted in Halifax and his date of disembarkation into France was on 31/12/1915.
He was killed in action on 01/07/1916. How he died has been recorded in the book "The Devonshire Regiment 1914-1918 " compiled by C.T. Atkinson. Page 150.
" When the platoon was held up by uncut wire and Sergt. Clay asked for volunteers to cut it, Pte Wadsworth darted forward and started cutting. He was hit but went on and before a second bullet finished him had cut a large gap and let his platoon get on.”
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star,
the 1914-1918 British War and Allied Victory medals.
Todmorden & District News – Friday 14 July 1916
“Pte Harold Wadsworth was a bright, cheerful young fellow of only nineteen years. He was the only son of Mr Geo. Wadsworth, a French polisher employed by Messrs Sutcliffe Bros. cabinet makers, Roomfield Buildings, and resided with his parents at
12 Sackville Street. The deceased followed the occupation of a weaver for Messrs Jno. Dawson and sons, Albion Mill, and was a regular attender at York Street Wesleyan Sunday School. For some time, he was a member of the local St John’s Voluntary Aid Detachment and rendered most useful service as night orderly at Centre Vale Hospital. He took a deep and self-sacrificing interest in the work and was keenly disappointed when he was not selected to accompany an early V.A.D. squad who left to render aid in a distant sphere. Soon afterwards being then only 18 years of age, in April 1915, he enlisted in the Devons and after a few months training went on active service.
The family have not yet received official confirmation of their son’s death".