War Memorials Elsewhere, - Dawdon (Co. Durham), -St. Hild & St. Helen's Church

The Wood Memorial Screen in St. Hild and St. Helen's Church, Dawdon (Co. Durham)
Photo : Bill Turnbull / Jen Newby

The First World War Memorial in St. Hild and St. Helen's Church, Dawdon (Co. Durham) is a wood screen joined to both left-hand and right-hand pulpits ("ambones"). The left-hand pulpit carries the main dedication, and the right-hand pulpit carries a dedicatory prayer. The screen is divided into 8 panels. The panels commemorate 180 names of those from Dawdon who lost their lives in the First World War. These 180 names include 1 woman and 24 soldiers who served with the Yorkshire Regiment.

We are very grateful to Angela Taylor (<angela.taylor30@ntlworld.com>) whose family included one of the Yorkshire Regiment soldiers, for informing this website of the memorial. Friends of Angela's, Bill Turnbull and Jen Newby, kindly took the photos of the memorial and have allowed this website to use these photos.

Photos of the individual commemorative panels are shown below. A transcription of these panels can be found on the North East War Memorials Project website.

Private Robert Armstrong. 11719. 7th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of George and Mary Armstrong, of Dawdon, Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. Killed 27 November 1915. Aged 24.
Born Nettlesworth (Durham), Enlisted Sunderland, Resided Seaham Harbour.
Buried BRANDHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY.

Lance Corporal William Laverick Ather. 33994. 13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Joseph and Mary Ather; husband of Martha Jane Ather, of 25, Alfred St., Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. Killed 1 February 1918. Aged 25.
Born Langley Moor (Durham), Enlisted Sunderland, Resided Seaham Harbour.
Buried MORY ABBEY MILITARY CEMETERY, MORY.

Private Samuel Bailey, 11648. 9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Henry and Dorothy Bailey, of 4, Stavordale St., Dawdon Colliery, Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. Killed 20 September 1917. Aged 22.
Born Station Town (Sunderland), Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided Dawdon (Durham).
Commemorated on Panels 52 to 54 & 162A, TYNE COT MEMORIAL.

Private George Brammer, 17830. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of James and Harriet Brammer, of 8, Slavordale St., Dawdon, Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. Killed 19 January 1918. Aged 25.
Born Seaham Harbour, Enlisted Sunderland, Resided Dawdon Colliery (Durham).
Buried ROCQUIGNY-EQUANCOURT ROAD BRITISH CEMETERY.

Private George Edward Burnett. 16911. 6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 21 August 1915.
Born Castletown (Sunderland), Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided Dawdon.
Commemorated on Panels 55 to 58, HELLES MEMORIAL.

Sapper Daniel Burney. 82257. 174th Tunnelling Coy Royal Engineers, formerly 14991 Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Elizabeth Burney of 48 Ilchester Street, Dawdon Colliery, Seaham Harbour, Durham. Died at home 18 December 1917.
Born Whitehaven (Cumberland), Enlisted Seaham Harbour (Co. Durham).
Buried SEAHAM CEMETERY.

Private Foster Clennell. 13882. 7th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Joseph and Emma Clennell, of 11, Hill Crescent, Aged Miners Homes, Dawdon, Co. Durham. Killed 13 May 1917. Aged 19.
Born Silksworth (Sunderland), Enlisted Sunderland, Resided Dawdon.
Buried CANADIAN CEMETERY No.2, NEUVILLE-ST. VAAST.
(The CWGC incorrectly shows him as "Fred Clennell". Foster Clennell's brother was Fred Clennell.
Private Fred Clennell, 21235, 6th Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers. Killed 14 July 1916. Aged 20.
The 1901 Census also shows that Foster was the 9th of 12 children born to Joseph and Emma. Fred was the 11th child born to Joseph and Emma.)

Lance Corporal James Edwards. 14525. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 28 September 1915.
Born Murton, Enlisted Seaham Harbour.
Commemorated on Panels 44 & 45, LOOS MEMORIAL.

Private John Hutchinson, 17845. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 1 July 1916.
Born Bishop Wearmouth (Durham), Enlisted Seaham Harbour.
Buried DANTZIG ALLEY BRITISH CEMETERY.
(In the 1911 Census, a John Hutchinson, b. ca. 1883, lived in Dawdon. He was born in Sunderland (i.e. Bishop Wearmouth) and was married to Elizabeth Hutchinson. They had 4 children. John Hutchinson was a General Labourer.)

Private James Knowles, 11702. 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 3 July 1916.
Born Trimdon (Hartlepool), Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided Dawdon.
Buried DIVE COPSE BRITISH CEMETERY, SAILLY-LE-SEC.

Lance Corporal John Bywell Laws, 16759. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mrs. H. Laws, of 41, Staverdale St. West, Dawdon Colliery, Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. Killed 20 January 1916. Aged 21.
Born West Dowden (sic) (Seaham Harbour), Enlisted Sunderland, Resided West Dowden (sic).
Buried BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.

Private John Lowery. 45545. 17th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, formerly 24938 the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Benjamin Lowery, of 23, Wynyard St., Dawdon Colliery, Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. Killed 3 March 1918. Aged 19.
Born North Shields (Durham), Enlisted Seaham Harbour (Co. Durham), Resided Dawdon (Co. Durham).
Buried MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.

Private Henry Lilly Newton. 19390. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 14 September 1916.
Born Seaham Harbour, Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided Dawdon.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 3A & 3D, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.

Serjeant Thomas Edward Pattison. 17840. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 5 November 1916.
Born Seaham Harbour, Enlisted Seaham Harbour.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 3A & 3D, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.

Private Thomas Stanley Poole. 11649. 5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Edward and Mary Ellen Poole, of 73, Longnewton St., Dawdon Colliery, Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. Killed 23 April 1917. Aged 21.
Born Whitehaven, Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided Dawdon.
Commemorated on Bay 5, ARRAS MEMORIAL.

Private Robert Henry Ramshaw. 13810. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Anthony Ramshaw, of 37, Swinebank Cottages, Dawdon, Seaham Harbour; husband of Jane Dagless (formerly Ramshaw), of 1, Mill Garth, Shiney Row, Philadelphia, Co. Durham. Killed 28 September 1916. Aged 22.
Born Metle Bridge (Ferryhill, Durham), Enlisted Sunderland, Resided Ryhope.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 3A & 3D, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.
("Metle Bridge", - SDGW, is correctly "Metal Bridge")

Serjeant Francis Nicholas Reed. 13562. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 8 February 1917.
Born Seaham Harbour, Enlisted Seaham Harbour.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 3A & 3D, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.
(Shown on the Dawdon Church memorial as "F M Reed").

Private John Thomas Ritchie, 15649. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of the late Thomas and Alice Ritchie; husband of Mary Ann Moreland (formerly Ritchie), of 14, Hedley St., Milfield, Sunderland. Died at home 20 September 1919. Aged 30.
Buried SEAHAM CEMETERY.
(Shown on the Dawdon Church memorial as "J Ritchie" but the 1911 Census shows J T Ritchie living in Dawdon with his wife Mary Ann, working as a coal miner, and born ca. 1890.)

Private John Robert Smiles. 15651. 9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 20 September 1916.
Born Seaham, Enlisted Seaham.
Buried ADANAC MILITARY CEMETERY.

Private Richard Taylor. 18886. 6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 23 September 1916.
Born Felling (Durham), Enlisted Seaham Harbour.
Buried OVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY.
(From the 1911 Census a Richard Taylor, born in Felling ca. 1898, lived in Dawdon with his parents Richard and Jane and 5 siblings. He would thus have been only about 18 years old when killed.)

Private Richardson Watson. 14129. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Richardson Watson, of 4, Mary St., Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham; and the late Meggie Watson. Killed 10 July 1916. Aged 20.
Born Seaham Harbour, Enlisted Seaham Harbour.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 3A & 3D, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.

Private Robert Wilkinson. 20255. 7th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 23 April 1918.
Born Hetton (Durham), Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided Dawdon.
Buried FEUCHY BRITISH CEMETERY.

Private Robert Pickering Willis. 43316. 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, formerly 14300 the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 18 September 1918.
Born Seaham Harbour (Durham), Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided Dawdon (Durham).
Buried BRIE BRITISH CEMETERY.

Dedication	Names "Allard" - "Burns" + 3	Names "Bell" - Daglish"	Names "Duckworth" - "Griffiths"	Names "Harley" - "Laws"
Names "Lowerson" - "Phelan"	Names "Proud" - "Southward"	Names "Swan" - "Usher"	Names "Winter" - "Meek" + 2	Prayer

St. Hild and St. Helen's Church, Dawdon (Co. Durham)
Photo © Copyright Paul Young and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

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