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War
Memorials Elsewhere, - Sheffield Forgemasters (Sheffield, S Yorks) |
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The Sheffield Forgemasters War Memorials
Photo : Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>)
There are 6 war memorial plaques located at the No 1 Gate of Sheffield Forgemasters, River Don Works, Brightside Lane, Sheffield. Brightside Lane is the A6109, and the No 1 Gate is a short distance South West of the Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield.
The Sheffield Forgemasters company was established in 1983 from the merger of Firth Brown and British Steel's River Don Works forging operations.] Their buildings now dominate the Brightside area of East Sheffield. The company can trace its heritage back to the start of the steel industry in Sheffield in the 18th century. The firms of Vickers, Cammell Laird, and Armstrong Whitworth were all nationalised to form British Steel in the 1960s. Thomas Firth & Sons became part of Vickers Ltd in 1911.
The two plaques on the left commemorate employees from Thomas Firth & Sons who lost their lives in the First World War. The two plaques in the centre are believed to commemorate Vickers Limited employees who lost their lives in the First World War. The two plaques on the right commemorate those who lost their lives in the Second World War.
One Officer of the Yorkshire Regiment is commemorated on a plaque commemorating those from Thomas Firth & Sons. Four soldiers of the Yorkshire Regiment are commemorated on the central plaques.
We are extrememly grateful to Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>) for the use of his photographs of the Forgemasters memorials. Wayne Bywater retains copyright of these photos.
Private John William Downs. 3/8841. 10th Battalion
Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Lily Hester (formerly Downs), of 2/10, St.
Thomas St., Sheffield. Killed 26 September 1915.
Born Nottingham, Enlisted Sheffield.
Commemorated on Panel 44 and 45, LOOS MEMORIAL.
2nd Lieutenant Alfred Mitchell Eadon. 6th Battalion
the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 21 August 1915.
Commemorated on Panel 55 to 58, HELLES MEMORIAL.
The following biographical information is taken from Robert Coulson's "Biographies
of Yorkshire Regiment Officers";-
"Alfred Eadon was one of the original territorial officers of the 6th
battalion when war broke out in August of 1914.
He sailed from Liverpool aboard the troopship “Aquitania” on July
3rd 1915 landing on the island of Lemnos. This was followed by a move to Imbros
for training and acclimatisation prior to the Gallipoli landings.
On August 7th 1915 the battalion were towed ashore before dawn landing at
Suvla Bay. There then followed an attack on the hill of Lala Baba however
2nd Lt Eadon was reported “sick and left with the reinforcements on
the beach”.
Later in the month as the battalion pushed inland Alfred Eadon was in the
line for the attack on Scimitar Hill.
He was killed on August 21st 1915 during the assault on Scimitar Hill, initially
posted as “wounded” and then later “presumed killed”.
2nd Lt Alfred Mitchell Eadon was never seen again and his body was never found
and his name is remembered today on the Helles Memorial on the Gallipoli peninsula."
Private Arthur Heath, 35463. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire
Regiment. Formerly 5/89243 6th T R Battalion. Died 8 May 1918.
Born Elsecar (Yorks), Enlisted Sheffield.
Commemorated on Panel 52 to 54 and 162A, TYNE COT MEMORIAL.
Private Frederick Whitham. 3/8243. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire
Regiment. Husband of Emma Whitham, of 91, Heeley Green, Sheffield. Killed
26 September 1915. Aged 32.
Born Sheffield, Enlisted Sheffield.
Commemorated on Panel 44 and 45, LOOS MEMORIAL.
Sapper William Wilson, 258601 Royal Engineers, formerly 8685 Private
Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Emma Wilson of 53 Hawley Street, Sheffield.
Died at home 6 March 1919. Aged 42.
Born Heeley (Sheffield), Enlsted Sheffield.
Buried SHEFFIELD (BURNGREAVE) CEMETERY.
(The Service Record for Sapper William Wilson exists. From this it is seen
that he enlisted into the Yorkshire Regiment on 2 September 1914. He was posted
to France on 9 September 1915. He joined the Royal Engineers as a Sapper (date
unknown), and returned to the UK in February 1919. Apparently he caught a
severe chill while on the deck of the transport returning him to the UK, and
developed lobar pneumonia. He died of this on 6 March 1919.)
Select one of the images below for a larger sized image which opens in a new window.
The plaque with Lieutenant Eadon's Name on it
Photo : Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>)
The plaque with Privates Downs' and Heath's Names on it
Photo : Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>)
The plaque with Privates Whitham's and Wilson's Names on it
Photo : Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>)
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