Born:
Died:
Buried:
Address: Northgate, Baildon
Parents: John & Annie
Spouse:
Siblings:
Occupation:
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: L Cpl
Medals/awards: Military Medal
Rolls of Honour:
Children:
Regiment: Duke of Wellington’s
William E Nutt
William’s story is something of a
mystery because while we find his
parents John and Annie at the
Northgate address given in the
reports below, and they are given as
having one child in 1911, there is
no sign of William.
The first we learn of him came in
the Shipley Times & Express on 27
October 1916:
“Pte W Nutt, only son of Mr and
Mrs J Nutt of Northgate, Baildon,
has been awarded the Military
Medal for great gallantry in
rescuing wounded from ‘No Man’s
Land’ under heavy shell fire.
“Pte Nutt is a nephew of Mr W
Nutt, who was at one time a
member of Baildon School Board,
and he joined the
1/7 Duke of
Wellington’s Regt
on February 2nd
1914, training at
North Shields and
was drafted to
France.
“This makes the
fifth decoration for
Baildon soldiers.”
We get some more
details in a council
report published on
1 December:
“It is worthy of note that at the last
meeting of the Baildon District
Council, Cllr W E Rhodes,
chairman, made reference to the
distinction won by
another Baildon lad.
“It might not be
generally known,
said Mr Rhodes, that
Pte W E Nutt, the
son of Mr and Mrs
John Nutt of
Northgate, Baildon,
had won the Military
Medal for rescuing
wounded soldiers
under heavy fire and
also for carrying
messages for 24
hours under heavy shell fire.
“He wished on behalf of the
Council to offer its congratulations
to Pte Nutt.
“The soldier named had been
promoted to Lance Corporal since
having been decorated.
“They were proud that he had
displayed such heroism and were
desirous that he should know his
deeds had been recognised and
honoured.
“They trusted that he would safely
return to wear with justifiable pride
the decoration ha had obtained.
“Many prominent Germans looked
upon Englishmen before the war as
a money grabbing, non-patriotic
and decadent race. They know
better now and it was such men as
L Cpl Nutt and others he could
name who had helped to dispel that
blundering supposition.”
