Watson Terry was the eldest child of signwriter Fred Terry and his wife Ada. In 1901, a six-year-old Watson was living with his parents, sister Annie (3) and brother Harry (six months) at 10-12 Westgate, the home of his maternal grandparents, publican Joseph Leng and his wife Frances. Ten years later, Fred and Ada had moved their family into 3 Green Road, Lane End. Watson was now an apprentice twisting overlooker working in Bradford, Annie a spinner, and while there is no mention of Harry, two more children, Ernest (8) and George (1) had arrived. Ada’s mother, now a widow, was living with them. Watson was determined to ‘do his bit’ from the outset of war and within days of hostilities breaking out, he is one of the young men mentioned in the Shipley Times & Express as volunteering to guard

Baildon reservoir against possible invasion. He enlisted in the 6th West Yorkshire Regiment on 22 October 1914 and the following piece appeared in the Shipley Times & Express on 14 May 1915: Pte Watson Leeming Terry of the 1/6 West Yorkshire Regt, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Fred Terry, of 3 Green Road, Lane End, Baildon, has been wounded and is in hospital. On Monday afternoon Mrs Terry received the following letter from Rev J Sydney Hobson, Chaplain to the Forces: Dear Mrs Terry, I have just been having a talk with your son who has been admitted to hospital slightly wounded in the hand by a German bullet. I just want to assure you that the wound is not a dangerous one and you need have no anxiety whatever in regard to him.

‘He is able to walk about and is very cheerful. He will probably be moved today to the base and possibly sent to England. He has done his duty manfully and I am sure you have every cause to be proud of him.’ On Tuesday, Mrs Terry received a letter from her son in the course of which he says: ‘I regret to say I have been wounded in the hand but not seriously, so don’t trouble. ‘We went into the trenches on Wednesday and I was wounded on Friday morning about half past ten. I wish I had hold of the German who wounded me. I would make him jump a bit.’ Pte Terry is one of the old boys of the Central School Baildon who is serving with the colours. The headmaster, Mr T Morgan Jones, intends to have a Roll of Honour for the school.’

Thanks to Tish and Mike Lawson for their help with this research