Littleborough soldiers March 1916 - 2016

Corporal Victor J A Lord (or as registered at birth) John Albert Victor Lord

Corporal Victor J A Lord (or as registered at birth) John Albert Victor Lord

Victor was born in Littleborough during 1892 and in 1901 he lived with his family at 51 Victoria Street. By 1911, Victor a Flannelette Raiser, and his family had moved to 26 Sutcliffe Street. He attended the Littleborough Parish Church Sunday and day schools and was formerly a member of the Church Lads Brigade which he joined when it was first formed being a staff sergeant in the brigade.

Corporal Lord enlisted shortly after the outbreak of the war and went to France in September 1915. Only 6 months later in 21 March 1916, 23 year old Corporal 1341 Victor Lord of the 8th Bn, East Surrey Regiment was wounded whilst he and some other men were defending an advanced position, the position around Knowles Wood/Ducks Point (near Etinehem) when it was overwhelmed by a German attack.

Corporal Lord was wounded in the lung and taken prisoner and a newspaper report gave the information that he died in a German P.O.W. Camp. In a letter of sympathy to Mr and Mrs Lord, now at 5 Wellington Street, 2nd Lieutenant Jacobs of the same regiment said (as reported in the Rochdale Observer of 13 May 1916) “My respect for his ability as a soldier and a N.C.O. was only exceeded by my personal esteem for him. He was a great favourite with the men, and although we had not had him out here long I had already booked him for the next sergeant when the vacancy occurred”.

Subsequently, the Rochdale Observer of 5 April 1916 wrote “Cpl Lord was taken prisoner during fighting on March 22. He is believed to have been unwounded. Cpl Lord was in charge of men holding an advance post on the right of a wood that the enemy rushed when he was taken prisoner”.

Cpl Lord’s name is inscribed on the Cenotaph in Littleborough and also on the War Memorial of the Littleborough Parish Church. He is buried in Grave Number III. G. 6. Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France, his name is also on the family grave in St James’s Churchyard with the sentiment “He Has Fought The Good Fight”.

Private Adam Brindley

The 1891 Census records Adam Brindley as born in Littleborough in 1884 but living with his family at 127, Leek Road, Endon, Longsdon and Stanley, Smallthorne; having moved from Littleborough early on in his life. By 1911 he had married Harriet and they had a 1 year old son and were living at 28 Watlands View, Porthill, Staffordshire. Before he enlisted in Oct/Nov 1914 in Stoke-on-Trent, he worked in his parents shop in Burslem.

32-year-old Private Adam Brindley, 8398 of 12th Bn Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was killed in action in France and Flanders 14 March 1916, whilst manning the trenches in Sanctuary Wood. Private Brindley was interred in Enclosure No 4. II. A8. Bedford House Cemetery, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. His widow, Harriett Brindley, lived in West View, Wolstanton, Stoke-on-Trent and his name is on the Wolstanton War Memorial.

Private Edmund Herbert Holt

Edmund was born in Littleborough in autumn 1874 and at the time of the 1881 census he lived with family at Back Halifax Rd. In 1891 they lived at 4 Hartley Passage and Herbert was a hosiery knitter. It is possible that Edmund had married Alice Ann Pritchard in 1895 Rochdale and in 1901 he lived at 193 Edenfield Rd, with his wife (Ann 26) and daughters Elizabeth (4) and Florrie (3). Edmund was now a Flannelette Finisher. In 1911 the family were living at the same address and Edmund was working as a General labourer - Woollen Waste with Elizabeth being a Cotton Weaver. His daughter Florrie, now 13 years old was a Domestic Servant whilst daughter Elsie (7) was at school. Edmund subsequently enlisted in Blackpool.

Private 15433 Edmund Herbert Holt, 3rd Bn King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) died of Pneumonia in a hospital in Plymouth on Wednesday 29 March 1916 and he was interred in Grave Number Church C. 4528. Plymouth (Efford) Cemetery, Devon.