Joseph Stead 9th Bn Koyli

[Steady on]

Hello all,

I am new to these forums and so really looking for some help.

I am currently researching my Great Grand Father Joseph Stead who Died on 19/10/1918 somewhere in France. He is buried at Terlincthun Military Cemetery and his service number was 39693 Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. I have managed to get hold of a copy of his medal card, which shows that he received or was eligible for the BWM and the Victory medal. The medal card has the words "Pres Dead" on it but from the CWGC I can see that they date his death as 19/10/18.

Joseph was born in approximately 1888 due to his age at the 1901 census as being listed as 13yrs old and his occupation is listed as a Gardener/Domestic. And he was living at 27 Primrose Hill Batley West Yorkshire.

When Joseph Died it is noted on the War Grave cert that he was married to my Great Grand Mother Harriet Ann and  was living at 1 Pearson Street, Batley although this could be an error as I cannot find records for Pearson Street and the more likely answer is that it  was Preston Street. He left £88 and some shillings in his estate and Harriet travelled to Wakefield at some point to collect belongings/Pension etc..... This would tie in with him being stationed at Pontefract at some point.


If anyone can help, I would be eternally grateful.

Tim.

[forester]

Hello Tim and welcome to Rootschat,

SDGW backs up the CWGC and has him as Killed in Action on 19/10/18.

Looking at the Cemetery Report, it contains a large proportion of men who were buried there at a later date. It is possible that his body was not recovered at the time.

I can't find a surviving service record for him, so would suggest that you obtain the war diary for 9th KOYLI from Documents Online. Link below. Although he is unlikely to be named in it, you may be able to deduce the most likely scenario.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/084k/

Also have a look at the movements of 21st Division here:

http://www.1914-1918.net/21div.htm

They were involved in the Battle of the Selle, 17th to 25th October 1918

Phil

[mmm45]

Tim welcome to RC.

Im just down the road from Batley If you are local, the library has a card system for the Batley News so they may hold an obituary for him.
The Spenborough Guardian and Spen Valley Advertiser is available to view on fiche at Cleckheaton library that also touches on Batley area.
Lot of lads from Spen Valley went into 9th KOYLI.
Theres a number of Steads on the Batley War Memorial and if you get chance to visit the town hall on the second floor there is a Roll Of Honour framed on the walkway listing all names from the town.

Joseph is on the War Memorial.

http://www.yorkshireindexers.co.uk/forums/links/showlink.php?do=showdetails&l=5228&p=6471#post6471

Ady

[Steady on]

Wow, thanks guys and gals, that's great. I have visited the War Memorial in Batley and left him a poppy or two over the years but I might try out the card and newspaper viewers at the local Libraries. I am local, I am in Birstall.

My Great Grandmother re-married in 1952 to Edward Victor Auty and now searching to find what he did during the war seems to have him as Royal Field Artillery....

Thanks again.

Tim.

[Steady on]

Just an update.

I came across this site http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=28070164 and found that therewas more information about him.

It has long been suggested by my mother that Joseph was captured and shot whilst a prisoner of war. According to my mother he was shot for refusing to carry salt/sand bags for the Germans. Now this ties in with what was posted on this web site, however can anyone tell me where this man might have come across this information?

Thanks,

Tim.

[forester]

HelloTim,

I would suggest you contact him through the links on the site, although it looks like you may have to wait a few days.

As there appears to be some concensus, I would have thought that the local papers would have carried the story, although how long it would have taken to filter through is anyone's guess.

Phil

[corisande]

There is a BWM for a Joseph Stead for sale here, doe not give any details
http://www.coinsale.co.uk/medals.htm
You could contact them for more details

There is nothing on him here
http://www.1914-1918.net/POW/details2.php?regiment=YORKSHIRE%20LIGHT%20INFANTRY
which indicates that there was probably no investigation into his death, which I would have assumed there would have been if he was indeed shot

I would suggest you put a post here
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showforum=155
where someone might be able to help you

[km1971]

He is buried near Calais, so he certainly wasn't captured.

Ken

[Steady on]

There is a BWM for a Joseph Stead for sale here, doe not give any details
http://www.coinsale.co.uk/medals.htm
You could contact them for more details

I have contacted this person and the medal is not 39693 Stead, but thanks for also spotting that one, you guys are good.

Why could he not have been captured if buried at Calais? What if the body was discovered behind what were German lines and then moved? His medal card states that he is presumed dead so he was obviously missing after some sort of action and with that I can only deduce that a date was given for his death because a grave had been marked for him elsewhere, although I might be wrong.

Thanks people,

Tim.