Born: c1874
Died: 14 July 1916, Somme
Buried:
Address: 17 Cowling Road, Windhill
Parents:
Spouse: Mary
Siblings:
Occupation: Cotton dyer
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Cpl
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Christchurch, Windhill; Thiepval Monument
Children: John, Ellen, Annie, Mary
Regiment: 12 West Yorkshire
William Henry Preston
The following report appeared in
the Shipley Times & Express on 11
August 1916: “Cpl William Henry
Preston, 18 West Yorks Regt
(Bradford 2nd Pals) and of Cowling
Road, Windhill, is reported to have
been killed on July 14th.”
Two weeks later, the paper carried
a letter an officer had sent to Cpl
Preston’s wife: “I am afraid you will
have heard by now of your
husband’s death.
“He was killed while we were taking
some German trenches. I am only
sorry that he was not with us long
enough to share in the
success of the battalion.
“As you know he has
not been out here long
but we all admired him
for the way in which he
stuck to everything he
undertook. He
performed his duties far
better than many
younger men do.
“Though one could see
that he sometimes
suffered, he never uttered a word
of complaint. You may have every
reason to be proud of
him and of the sacrifice
he has made for his
King and Country.
“We deeply sympathise
with you in your great
loss.”
The newspaper added:
“Cpl Preston was
nearly forty-two years
of age. He was for
some years a member
of the Bradford Rifles
and after the outbreak of war he
joined the Shipley Volunteers
“He was formerly a member of
the Shipley Trades and Labour
Council.”
From the 1911 census we learn
this was not the first tragedy
faced by William’s wife Mary; at
that time the couple had been
married 16 years and had lost six
of their ten children.
She was now alone to bring up
the remaining four, John James,
aged 16, Ellen, aged 14, Annie,
aged ten, and Mary just six years
old
