North Yorkshire War Memorials, - Middlesbrough, - Smiths Dock Memorial (Teesside Offshore Base)

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The Smiths Dock War Memorial, Teesside Offshore Base
Photo : Bolckow

Bolckow has kindly provided the photographs of the Smiths Dock Park War Memorial that can be found at the entrance to the Teesside Offshore Base (see map below). This particular memorial consists of bronze plaques mounted in an oak frame, and is mounted on the wall of a gatehouse to the Offshore Base.
The memorial is shown on the Imperial War Museum's Inventory of War Memorials as being located in South Shields on Tyneside. As the Smiths Dock Company were also once located in South Shields, it would thus appear that this memorial has been removed to a "safer" location.

Smiths Dock Company, Limited, often referred to simply as Smiths Dock, was a British shipbuilding company that became associated with South Bank in Middlesbrough on the River Tees, after opening an operation there in 1907. However, as Smiths Dock is also associated with Tyneside, many of the names on the Memorial come from outside the Middlesbrough area.

There is also a potential problem in that some of the names identified as being on the Memorial and of the Yorkshire Regiment may not actually have been employed by Smiths Dock but simply have come from Middlesbrough. For instance, for "H Fox" there is a Herbert Fox of the Yorkshire Regiment who enlisted in Middlesbrough; but there is also a Henry Fox of the Corps of Royal Engineers who was born in Middlesbrough and enlisted in Middlesbrough. There are other names where it is possible that the identified man from the Yorkshire Regiment, from the Middlesbrough area, is not the one on the Memorial in that a man of the same name from Tyneside could be the intended name on the memorial.

Of the 60 names commemorated on the memorial as having lost their lives in the First World War, 28 had served in the Yorkshire Regiment.

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Private Thomas Boyes, 21474. 12th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment ("Z" Coy). Son of Henry and Florence Boyes, of 25, Lower Princess St., South Bank, Yorks. Killed 21 November 1916. Aged 20.
Born Eston (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided South Bank.
Buried LONGUENESSE (ST. OMER) SOUVENIR CEMETERY

Private James Connolly. 25005. 13th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 4 October 1918.
Born Whitton Park (Durham), Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided South Bank.
Commemorated P.O.W. Special Memorial, VALENCIENNES (ST. ROCH) COMMUNAL CEMETERY, and
Commemorated P.O.W. Special Memorial, LE QUESNOY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.

Private Joseph Conway, 201748 (SDGW) / 201746 (CGW). 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 5 September 1917.
Born Blythe (Northumberland), Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried BUCQUOY ROAD CEMETERY, FICHEUX.

Private Thomas Fennon. 35608. 10th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, formerly 30837 the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mr. Thomas Fennon, of 3, Lower Napier St., South Bank, Yorks. Killed 6 November 1917. Aged 23.
Born South Bank (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 108 to 111, TYNE COT MEMORIAL.

Corporal Herbert Fox. 18934. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 1 February 1917.
Born Ampleforth, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried GUARDS' CEMETERY, COMBLES.

Private John Henry French. 11015. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Mary Ann Gibbon (formerly French), of 19, David Terrace, Coronation, Eldon Lane, Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham. Died 7 August 1915. Aged 28.
South Bank (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided South Bank.
Commemorated Panel 55 to 58, HELLES MEMORIAL.

Private Charles Gallagher. 3/8186. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 1 July 1916.
Born Hartlepool, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Buried FRICOURT BRITISH CEMETERY.

Private John William Gillings. 28315. 7th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 32614 the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 24 April 1917.
Born South Bank (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided South Bank.
Commemorated on Bay 4 and 5, ARRAS MEMORIAL.

Private John William Latimer. 20188. 12th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of J. and Annie Latimer. Born at South Bank, Yorks. Died 30 June 1916. Aged 24.
Born South Bank (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided South Bank.
Buried ST. PATRICK'S CEMETERY, LOOS.
(spelt "Lattimer" in SDGW, and on the memorial.)

Private William Lawrence. 11017. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, transf. to (617721) 216th Prisoner of War Coy. Labour Corps. Son of William and Lydia Lawrence, of South Bank; husband of Sarah Jane Foster (formerly Lawrence), of 36, Cleveland St., South Bank, Yorks. Died at home 9 October 1919. Aged 32.
Buried ESTON CEMETERY.

Private Thomas Mackin. 11823. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Michael and Ellen Mackin, of 5, Upper Graham St., South Bank, Yorks. Died 10 May 1917. Aged 22.
Born South Bank (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided South Bank.
Commemorated Bay 5, ARRAS MEMORIAL.

Private Frank McElroy. 15617. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 26 September 1915.
Born South Bank (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Panel 44 and 45, LOOS MEMORIAL.

Lance Corporal Robert Bousefield Milburn, 12043. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Joseph and Agnes Ann Milburn, of Gordon House, Roseberry Terrace, Grange Town, Yorks. Killed 29 August 1915. Aged 28.
Born Wilton (Redcar, Yorks), Enlisted South Bank, Resided Grangetown.
Buried VOORMEZEELE ENCLOSURE No.3.

Driver Patrick Mulligan. T/32016 3rd Div. Train Army Service Corps, formerly 7664 3rd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 11 June 1916.
Born Grangetown (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided South Bank (Yorks).
Buried METEREN MILITARY CEMETERY.

Lance Corporal Charles O'Hara. 241797. 5th Battalion Border Regiment, formerly 4837 Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Patrick and Catherine O'Hara, of 12, Napier St., South Bank-on-Tees, Yorks. Killed 21 March 1918. Aged 37.
Enlisted Middlesbrough (Yorks).
Commemorated Panel 46, POZIERES MEMORIAL.

Private John Thomas Oxley. 22717. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of J. and Mary Oxley, of 41, Codd St., Southbank, Yorks; husband of S. A. Naylor (formerly Oxley), of 221, Town Wall, Hartlepool. Died 27 May 1918. Aged 28.
Born Rushworth, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated on the SOISSONS MEMORIAL.
(A Pension Record exists for John Thomas Oxley that shows that he first enlisted on 2 September 1914, but was discharged only days later - on 6 October 1914, as "not being likely to make an efficient soldier"!! Obviously he was able to re-enlist.)

Private John L Potts, 12495. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 21 September 1917.
Born North Shields, Enlisted South Bank (Yorks).
Commemorated Panel 52 to 54 and 162A, TYNE COT MEMORIAL.

L/Corporal Edmund George Prentice, M M, 38516. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Ernest Edmund Robert and Margaret Robinson Prentice, of 92, Redcar Rd., South Bank, Yorks. Killed 6 May 1918. Aged 20.
Born Hartlepool, Enlisted South Bank.
Commemorated Panel 52 to 54 and 162A, TYNE COT MEMORIAL.

Private Albert Edward Raper. 241572. 5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 15 September 1916.
Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.

Private John Rowse, 14792. 9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Rachel H. Rowse, of R/4, Albert St., Millom, Cumberland, and the late William Rowse. Killed 5 July 1916. Aged 31.
Born Millom (Cumberland), Enlisted Redcar (Yorks), Resided Millom.
Buried SERRE ROAD CEMETERY No.2.

Private Matthew Smith. 13769. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mr. and Mrs. M. Smith, of South Bank, Yorks. Killed 24 September 1917. Aged 20.
Born South Shields, Enlisted South Bank (Yorks).
Buried LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY.

Private George Spencer. 12050. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of William and Elizabeth Spencer, of 1, Sea View Terrace, Grangetown, Yorks; husband of Mardha Bowen (formerly Spencer), of 30, Brewery St., Merthyr Tydfil, Glam. Died 10 July 1916. Aged 34.
Born Eston (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided Grangetown.
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.

Serjeant George Spencer. 12702. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 29 August 1916.
Buried BERKS CEMETERY EXTENSION.
Born Grangetown (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided Grangetown.

(either of the above George Spencers could be the "G Spencer" on the Smiths Dock Memorial.)

Private Alexander Sproul. 238143. 8th Battalion Cameronian (Scottish Rifles), formerly 4879 Yorkshire Regiment. Son of William and Jeannie Sproul, of 41, Aire St., South Bank, Yorks. Native of Govan, Glasgow. Killed 16 October 1918. Aged 20.
Born MIddlesbrough (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough (Yorks).
Buried HOOGE CRATER CEMETERY.

Private John Sproul. 2189. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Alexander and Helen Sproul, of 36, Aire St., South Bank, Yorks. Native of Leith, Scotland. Died 14 February 1916. Aged 20.
Born Leith (Scotland), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided South Bank.
Buried RAILWAY DUGOUTS BURIAL GROUND.

Private John W Theakston. 50002. 9th Battalion Highland Light Infantry, formerly 4852 Yorkshire Regiment. Son of John William and Elizabeth Theakston, of Middlesbrough; husband of Elizabeth Theakston, of 6, Harberton Bridge, South Circular Road, Dublin. Killed 28 March 1918. Aged 19.
Enlisted Middlesbrough (Yorks).
Buried NINE ELMS BRITISH CEMETERY.

Serjeant Edward Thirkell. 1689. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of the late J. B. and May Ann Thirkell, of 74, Redcar Rd., South Bank, Yorks. Died 6 August 1915. Aged 20.
Born Normanby, Enlisted Normanby, Resided South Bank.
Buried STRAND MILITARY CEMETERY.

Private Edward Vaughan. 1230. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 24 May 1915.
Born Maryport (Cumberland), Enlisted Eston, Resided South Bank.
Buried BEDFORD HOUSE CEMETERY.

Private David Wall. 34797. 10th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Previously 4674 Yorkshire Regiment. Died 25 September 1916.
Enlisted Middlesbrough.
Commemorated Pier and Face 11 C and 12 A, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.

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The Smiths Dock War Memorial, Teesside Offshore Base - The Names of Those Who Lost Their Lives
Select the above imnage for a larger one that opens in a new window
Photo : Bolckow

The Entrance to the Teesside Offshore Base.
The Smiths Dock War Memorial is attached to the "Inside" Wall of the Right-Hand Gatehouse.
Photo : Google Earth.

The Location of the Gatehouse for the Teesside Offshore Base
Image : Streetmap

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