Helen Riley wrote of her great, great grandfather Percy Codingley: He was born in April 1888 at the Holt, Windhill. He was the oldest of four children. His parents were Holmes and Marina Cordingley. He moved to live at the Rock Inn Pub (bottom of Crag Road, now demolished). After a few years, he moved to the Royal Pub, Crag Road. In 1912, Percy married Vera Whittaker – Tillotson. They had two children; Marina and Bernard. Marina was my Great Grandmother. Percy was a butcher for Windhill Co-op. He was also a very talented singer. Percy joined the South Staffordshire Regiment in 1916, where he was a rifleman. He was

then transferred to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. On 31st July 1917, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers went into attack Pilckem Ridge in Belgium. This battle was counted as a success as all the British army’s objectives were achieved. However, it was fought in appalling weather conditions. During this battle, Percy was acting as a messenger to run messages backwards and forwards between the troops. He had a message that he needed to get to his officers to report that the aircraft flying over the battlefield was British. The officers needed to be warned, so they did not shoot their own aircraft. However, as he was passing the message on, he was shot and killed by German soldiers.

Percy was buried in Belgium, leaving his wife and two young children (Marina 4, Bernard 2) behind. On 31 August 1917, the Shipley Times and Express published this piece: Pte Percy Cordingley of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, son of Mr Holmes Cordingley, Royal Oak Hotel, Crag Road, Windhill, has been killed in action. He joined last November and went to France in February. Previous to joining the colours, he was manager of the Saltaire branch of the Windhill Co-op Society, meat department. The deceased was a good bass vocalist and was well-known in the district. He leaves a wife and two children who reside at Holdsworth Street.

Thanks to Helen Riley for passing on the information and photograph of her great great grandfather