On 25 May 1917, the Shipley Times & Express reported: Not by any means the least of the many war tragedies are those in which the hopes of a promising married partnership have been dispelled at the outset by the loss of the husband in his country’s cause. Such a case formed the subject of a service conducted on Sunday evening by the Rev H Taylor at the Saltaire Road Primitive Methodist Chapel, Shipley. The service, which was of impressive simplicity, was to the memory of L Cpl William Harold Speedie (29) of 19 Maddocks Street, Shipley. Married L Cpl Speedie was living in Oak Lane, Manningham, when he joined the forces. Not long ago he was married to Miss Belle Naylor, 19 Maddocks Street, obtaining special leave of absence from military duties at West Hartlepool for the purpose. Shortly after marriage he was ordered abroad and had only been away a few weeks when he was seriously

wounded. He was conveyed to a French hospital, the matron of which wrote Mrs Speedie to visit him. She arrived in France to find her husband badly wounded and unconscious. She remained several days and during intervals of consciousness he recognised her. With him when he died She was with him when he died on May 4th and was present at the military funeral the following day. Mrs Speedie has three brothers serving, two in France and one in Salonika. The eldest is Sapper James Naylor, RE (41), married, whose home is in Manningham and who was employed by the Bradford Corporation in the Highways Department. Farrier Fred Naylor (39), the second brother, is in Salonika. Cpl Hartley Naylor (28), now with the West Yorkshire Regt in France, was a member of the Bradford police force.