WW1 – Page 5

2/Lt. Beltran Ford Robinson

Beltran Ford Robinson was born in Ashton under Lyne on June 19, 1886. His father, John Robinson, was a solicitor. The family lived on Taunton Rd in Ashton and Beltran lived there with his father, mother Alice (née Garside), his sister Vera Ford Robinson and a domestic servant. By 1911 Beltran was working as a Solicitor at Bromley, Hyde and Robinson in Ashton.

On October 8, 1915 he boarded His Majesty’s Transport Ship Demosthenes along with two other Officers and 134 other ranks bound for Gallipoli. They arrived at Mudros on October 20^th and joined the Battalion at Cape Helles on October 22, 1915. He served with the Battalion in Gallipoli for the remainder of the campaign and then sailed with them to Egypt where they arrived on January 16, 1916.

In Egypt he was promoted to Lieutenant on June 1, 1916. He left the Battalion for a three week course of instruction at Zeitoun on November 23, 1916 and on February 20, 1917 left them again for 38 days home leave in the UK. He rejoined the Battalion in France on March 30, 1917. Immediately upon his arrival he was detached to the dive school as an instructor and remained there for 12 days. Two weeks after he returned he was seconded to the 3^rd Corps School of Instruction as an instructor where he remained for the duration of the war. On November 18, 1918 he was appointed temporary Captain. He left France for demobilization on February 19, 1919.

After the war, orders to reform the regiment were received in October 1920 and Lt-Col D. H. Wade was appointed Commanding Officer. A few weeks later the War Office confirmed the re-appointments of some old officers including Lt. Beltran Ford Robinson. He was promoted to Captain on June 21, 1921 and Major on January 31, 1929. On January 28, 1932 he took over command of the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment, (from Lt.-Col. George William Handforth), and was simultaneously promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. He remained in command for 6 years, during which time he was awarded the Territorial Decoration, vacating command on January 28, 1938. He was appointed Brevet Colonel when he relinquished command and transferred to Territorial Army Reserve of Officers (TARO).

In his personal life outside the Regiment he continued his work as a solicitor and in April 1922 he married Elsie Blakely Holderness and they lived on Mellor Road in Ashton (across the road from Stamford Park and just a few doors down from his more senior brother Officer George William Handforth). He was awarded the O.B.E. in the 1938 King’s Birthday Honours List and made a Deputy Lieutenant of the County Palatine of Lancaster on January 15, 1946. On Mar 12, 1949, having exceeded the age limit, he relinquished his commission in the T.A.R.O. retaining the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and Brevet Colonel.

Brevet Colonel Beltran Ford Robinson, O.B.E., T.D., died in hospital on March 12, 1976 (he wife predeceasing him). He was 89 years old.

Acknowledgements

The Manchester Regiment Image Archive photo above is reproduced here with kind permission of the Tameside Local Studies and Archive Centre and the Trustees of the Manchester Regiment Archive and remains under their copyright.

2/Lt. Thomas Ainsworth

Thomas Ainsworth was born on 26 December, 1894 in Great Hardwood, (5 miles North East of Blackburn), to Thomas Ainsworth Snr the manager of a cotton mill. Thomas was the youngest of six children and he was educated at Denstone College, in Staffordshire, where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps for 3 years between 1910 and 1912.

Thomas Ainsworth was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Territorial Force on April 12, 1915. From June to July 1915 he attended an Officers training course at Balliol College, Oxford, residing at the college for a month. On October 8, 1915 he boarded His Majesty’s Transport Ship Demosthenes along with two other Officers and 134 other ranks bound for Gallipoli. They arrived at Mudros on October 20^th and joined the Battalion at Cape Helles on October 22, 1915.

He survived Gallipoli unscathed and sailed with the Battalion to Egypt, arriving January 16, 1916. In Egypt he attended a 10-day school of instruction from May 28 to June 7, 1916 and he was later attached to the 126^th Brigade Stokes Trench Mortar Battery on June 27, 1916.

He sailed with the Battalion to France arriving March 11, 1917. Shortly after arriving he took home leave in the UK for two weeks, from March 25 to April 8, 1917. Shortly after returning he attended a Trench Mortar School from April 13-24, 1917. On June 7^th he was taken sick to hospital and remained there for 34 days. During this time, he was promoted to Lieutenant on July 1, 1917. Shortly after his return to the Battalion he was permanently attached to the 126^th Brigade Trench Mortar Battery where he remained for the duration of the war. While serving with them, on October 15, 1917, he proceeded to the UK for 10 days leave.

He was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatch of November 8, 1918 and was awarded the Military Cross in the 1919 New Year’s Honors List. On April 1, 1919 he was awarded a Bar to his Military Cross the citation reads:

Awarded a Bar to the Military Cross:
Lt. Thomas Ainsworth, M.C., 1/9th Bn.
Manch. R., T.F., att’d. 126th L.T.M. By.

For marked gallantry and good leadership. At Braistre on 20th October, 1918, he led his section forward and, charging an enemy machine-gun post, killed the crew. His promptness of action on this occasion and later in assisting to clear up several machine-gun posts on the railway was of great value to the company to which he was attached.

(M.C. Gazetted 1st January, 1919.)

He resigned his commission on February 26, 1921 and retained the rank of Lieutenant.

In 1923 he married Elizabeth Baines and their son William Thomas Ainsworth was born in 1925. Their daughter Kathleen followed in December 1929. But by 1939, Thomas was widowed and living in Blackpool as a boarding house keeper, and looking after his two children.

On December 18, 1940 he was granted an emergency commission as a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery and immediately attended a month’s training at the “Z” Battery Training Wing at Shrivenham, (133rd OTC Group, Royal Artillery, Anti Aircraft). He was then posted to the newly formed 127th Anti-Aircraft “Z” Battery at Nottingham (part of the 6th Anti-Aircraft “Z” Regiment) where he remained for 9 months, until September 1941. From here he was attached to the Depot of the 6th Anti-Aircraft Regiment at Woolwich for the next 3 months where he attended a short training course. In December 1941 he was posted to the 7th Anti-Aircraft Regiment in County Durham which was the location of the newly formed 228 Anti-Aircraft “Z” Battery, manned by a mixture of the Royal Artillery and the Home Guard. He remained there until April 25, 1942 when he was relegated to the unemployed list, finally relinquishing his commission on March 15, 9154.

Hon. Lt. Joseph Michael Connery

Joseph Morial Cardinal Connery was born in Gorton in July 1878. His father, Michael Henry Connery, was the long serving Quartermaster of the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment.

On June 19, 1893, when he was just 14 years and 11 months old, he joined the Manchester Regiment as Joseph Michael Connery. He spent 21 years with the Regiment, rising to the rank of Company Sergeant Major. Serving with the 1^st Battalion, he deployed to Gibraltar in 1897 and then fought in the Boer war in South Africa where he spent more than 3 years. From South Africa the 1^st Manchesters deployed to Singapore returning to the UK in 1904. On January 24, 1906 he married Edith Kate Whitehorn and about nine months later his first son Arthur Henry Connery was born. Geoffrey James Connery followed in April 1910.

At the outbreak of war, he was serving with the 2^nd Battalion Manchester Regiment who deployed to France in August 1914. He was wounded at the battle of Mons and invalided back to the UK in September 1914. Upon his return to Ashton under Lyne he was discharged to pension from the 2^nd Battalion due to completing 21 years of service and subsequently applied for, and was awarded, a commission of Honorary Lieutenant and Quartermaster in the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment Territorial Force.

On August 2, 1915 Hon Lt. Joseph Michael Connery embarked on His Majesty’s Transport Ship Arcadian along with 3 other Officers and 145 other ranks en-route to Mudros where they arrived on August 19^th and joined the Battalion at Cape Helles on August 22^nd. Within 4 days he was sent sick to hospital and invalided to the UK three weeks later. After he recovered, he was retained in the UK by the War Office and was promoted to Honorary Captain on January 17, 1918.

After the war he moved with his family to Great Horkesley, near Colchester. Captain Joseph Michael Connery died there on November 30, 1934. He was 56 years old.

2/Lt. Percy Ainsworth

Percy Ainsworth was born in Blackburn on January 14, 1890. His father, Edwin James Ainsworth, was a Cotton Manufacturer. Percy was the youngest of 5 children, (John “Jack” James, Isabel, Alice and Edwin). Educated at Blackburn Grammar school, by 1911 he was living with his parents and Isabel and Edwin in St. Annes-on-Sea, along with a domestic servant. Percy was employed as a Yarn Salesman, as was his father.

On September 3, 1914 he joined the 17^th Manchester Regiment as a private. He was quickly promoted to Corporal and then Lance Sergeant. On April 16, 1915 he was discharged from the 17^th Battalion as he had been granted a commission as a Second Lieutenant with the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment (Territorial Force). He joined the 2/9^th at training in Southport and moved with them to Pease Pottage in June 1915.

On August 2, 1915 2/Lt. Percy Ainsworth embarked on His Majesty’s Transport Ship Arcadian along with 3 other Officers and 145 other ranks en-route to Mudros where they arrived on August 19^th and joined the Battalion at Cape Helles on August 22^nd. He was assigned to C Company but in late September took over the Battalion machine gun section. He served the remainder of his time in Gallipoli without incident.

He sailed with the Battalion to Egypt, arriving January 18, 1916 but 10 days later reported sick to hospital. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps on March 14, 1916 where he underwent training. On October 8, 1916 he was appointed as a Flying Officer (Observer) and attached to the 67th Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, Kantara. On April 7, 1917 he was appointed Flying Officer and attached to 63^rd Squadron in Mesopotamia. He made his way back to the UK before departing Devonport on June 23^rd for Basra. He joined the 63^rd Squadron in Basra on August 13, 1917 and during his sea passage was promoted to Lieutenant. He contracted sand fly fever within a week of arriving and spent 8 days in No 3 British General Hospital and the Beit Nama Officers convalescent hospital. In April 1918 he earned six weeks leave in India departing on April 17^th and returning on May 31^st. He remained with the 63^rd Squadron until July 18, 1918 when he embarked Basra for Egypt and the No 32 Training Wing. In Egypt he was attached to the No 20 Training Depot Station in Shallufa, where he remained for 3 months except for a two-week training course at the 32 Wing Flying Instruction School. He was then briefly attached to the No 58 Training Squadron before he was re-assigned for duty in the UK. In England he was attached to the No. 4 Training Depot Station, (at Hooton Park on the Wirral), where he was appointed Aeroplane Officer. He resigned his commission on January 27, 1919 retaining the rank of Lieutenant, and he was demobilised on March 17, 1919.

In 1937 he married Mollie Jenkinson and they lived in Altrincham where he had resumed his profession as a yarn salesman. Lt. Percy Ainsworth died in Cheshire in 1963. He was 73 years old.

2/Lt. Harold Harrison Knight

Harold Harrison Knight was born in Ashton under Lyne on December 13, 1891. His father, John Wallwork Knight was a cotton wool broker and mill furnisher with business address in Cavendish Street, Ashton. He was educated at William Hulme’s Grammar School, Manchester (1902-1907). By 1911, Harold was working as an assistant in his father’s business and living with his parents and older sister, (Winifred), and a domestic servant on Henrietta Street in Ashton. During this time, he joined the Ashton Golf Club and was one of several 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment officers who were members of the club.

Shortly after the outbreak of war he was appointed as a Second Lieutenant in the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment (Territorial Force), along with 10 others, on October 12, 1914. Harold joined the 2/9^th at training in Southport and moved with them to Pease Pottage in June 1915. A month prior to receiving his commission he was the best man to Lt. Alfred Gordon Birchenall (9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment) in his marriage to Harold’s sister Winifred, Lt. Birchenall being unable to travel to Egypt with the Battalion due to illness.

On August 2, 1915 2/Lt. Harold Harrison Knight embarked on His Majesty’s Transport Ship Arcadian along with 3 other Officers and 145 other ranks en-route to Mudros where they arrived on August 19^th and joined the Battalion at Cape Helles on August 22^nd. Less than two weeks later he was admitted to the 1/3rd East Lancs Field Hospital suffering from dysentery and was invalided to the UK on September 3, 1915 on the hospital ship Delta. He arrived at Southampton on September 15th where he spent some time in hospital in London and convalesced in Wales before returning home to Ashton in late November.

By December 1915 he was fully recovered from Dysentery but still too weak and underweight for active service. He was passed fit for home service in January 1916 rejoining the the 2/9^th Manchesters who were at camp in Codford. He was passed fit for active service a month later but remained with the 2/9th as they moved to camp at Witley, in Surrey. On June 12, 1916 he was again best man at the wedding of a brother Officer, this time for Lt. William Marsden Barratt. He rejoined the 1/9th Battalion in Egypt on November 8, 1916 traveling with 69 other ranks. He was promoted to Lieutenant on June 1, 1916 otherwise his time in Egypt was uneventful, only attending a 3 week course of instruction in Cairo in January 1917.

He sailed with the Battalion to France, arriving March 11, 1917 and two months later spent 11 days sick in hospital. Shortly after his return to the Battalion he was appointed Town Major for 7 weeks. He then took home leave in the UK for 11 days, leaving on July 27, 1917. On August 27 he was attached to the 42^nd Division and remained attached for just over a month. He took another home leave pm December 7, 1917, this time for two weeks and upon his return was attached to the 126^th Infantry Brigade Headquarters for two weeks.

In February 1918 the army was about to go through a dramatic reconstruction with Brigades being reduced from 4 to 3 Battalions. On February 21, 1918 Lt. Harold Harrison Knight was posted to the 1/6^th Battalion Manchester Regiment. On March 27, 1918 the 1/6^th Manchesters were close to Ablainzevelle, South of Arras. They came under repeated attack by German forces and although the attacks were repulsed, they suffered heavy casualties from shell fire. 15 other ranks were killed or reported missing and 65 wounded. While two Officers were wounded and one killed. The Officer killed was Lt. Knight.

Lt. Harold Harrison Knight was killed in action on March 27, 1918 and is buried in the Douchy-Les-Ayette British Cemetary and is commemorated on the Albion United Reformed Church War Memorial and the Ashton under Lyne Civic War Memorial. He was 26 years old.

2/Lt. Percy Aspden Woodhouse

Percy Aspden Woodhouse was born in Blackburn on July 21, 1893. His father, Charles Harrison Woodhouse, was a commercial salesman. Percy was educated at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Blackburn and by 1911 he was living with his parents, three younger sisters (Winifred Mary, Kathleen and Dorothy) and a domestic servant at Adelaide Terrance, Blackburn. He was working as a salesman in the cotton business at Messrs. J. H. Agnew and Bro, cloth agents, Manchester.

Shortly after the outbreak of war, on September 2, 1914, he joined the 12^th Reserve Cavalry Regiment as a private (#16950) and after six months training in Aldershot was awarded a commission with the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment Territorial Force on April 29, 1915. He joined the 2/9^th at training in Southport and moved with them to Pease Pottage in June 1915.

On August 2, 1915 2/Lt. Percy Aspden Woodhouse embarked on His Majesty’s Transport Ship Arcadian along with 3 other Officers and 145 other ranks en-route to Mudros where they arrived on August 19^th and joined the Battalion at Cape Helles on August 22^nd. Two weeks later he was taken sick to hospital. He died of dysentery on the Hospital Ship Delta on his way back to England, somewhere near Gibraltar.

2/Lt. Percy Aspden Woodhouse died on September 11, 1915 and was buried at sea. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. He was 23 years old.

2/Lt. William Gilbert Greenwood

William Gilbert Greenwood was born in Ashton under Lyne on May 9, 1893. His father Henry Thomas Greenwood was an accountant and financier and in later life became a member of the Ashton town Council. William had an older sister, Gladys Mary Greenwood, and a younger brother Henry Winston Greenwood. He was educated at Elmfield College, York where he was captain of the school cricket and football teams. By 1911 William was working as an accountant’s clerk in his father’s business, managing the office in Stockport, and was living with his parents and brother in Ashton under Lyne, his sister was in Southport at boarding school.

Shortly after the outbreak of war he was appointed as a Second Lieutenant in the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment (Territorial Force), along with 10 others, on October 12, 1914. He joined the 2/9^th in training at Southport before moving with them to Haywards Heath and Pease Pottage. 2/Lt. William Gilbert Greenwood was the lowest ranking, (by precedence), of the 5 Officers (and 222 men) who traveled to Gallipoli in July 1915, joining the Battalion at Cape Helles on July 23^rd.

He is not mentioned in the Battalion war diary in Gallipoli but on September 20, 1915 he was sent sick to hospital in Gibralter, with enteric fever, and was invalided to the UK on October 30^th.

After he recovered he rejoined the Battalion on March 24, 1916 while they were in Egypt. He was promoted to Lieutenant on June 1, 1916 and was sent to a school of instruction with the Suez Canal Transport Corps in December.

He sailed with the Battalion to France, arriving March 11, 1917 and six weeks later, on April 27^th, left for 15 days leave in the UK. At this time, he was serving as a Platoon Commander, C Company, and was noted in the war diary as such at Havrincourt Wood in May 1917. In June he attended the 42^nd Divisional Bombing School for two weeks. In September 1917 the Battalion was at Ypres and they took over the front line on the evening of September 10^th. Late in the evening of September 11, 1917 C Company unsuccessfully led an attack on enemy lines and were forced to withdraw due to machine gun and rifle fire. Lt. Greenwood was wounded along with 9 other ranks, with 2 others killed or missing. He was sent to hospital and on September 19, 1917 was invalided to the UK. He did not return to the battalion and resigned his commission due to ill health on March 9, 1918.

After the war, on October 19, 1919 he married Ena Mawer and for a time, in 1920, they lived in Oldham but by 1928 William Gilbert Greenwood was living in Ashton under Lyne working as an accountant, serving on the town council and unsuccessfully ran as the Liberal candidate in the 1929 by-election.

Lt. William Gilbert Greenwood died in Ashton on May 9, 1969. He was 75 years old.

2/Lt. Harold Ingham

Harold Ingham was born in Moston, Manchester on March 19, 1886. His father, William Walter Ingham was a cotton yarn agent. Harold was educated at private school in St. Annes on Sea which he attended with his older brother Claude Harrop Ingham. By 1911 Harold was living at “Vine House” in Moston with his parents, his brother Claude and his younger sister Irene. The family employed two servants. Harold and Claude worked in their father’s business as cotton yarn agents.

On September 9, 1914, Harold joined the 6^th Reserve Battalion Manchester Regiment as a private (#2746) and was subsequently promoted to Corporal. On March 11, 1915 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment and joined the 2/9^th in training at Southport. 2/Lt. Harold Ingham was one of the 5 Officers (and 222 men) who traveled to Gallipoli in July 1915, joining the Battalion at Cape Helles on July 23^rd.

There is no mention of him in the Battalion war diary but there is anecdotal evidence from the Ashton Reporter Newspaper, (and confirmed by his service record), that he transferred to C Company in late August and took over command of the Company on September 17^th when temp. Captain George William Handforth was admitted to hospital in Imbros and subsequently medically evacuated to Malta. The London Gazette notes that he was made a temporary Captain on September 20, 1915 while he was in charge of a company. However, he too succumbed to the endemic sickness at Cape Helles and on December 24, 1915 was sent sick to hospital reporting that for the previous 4 days had suffered from profuse diarrhea, passing blood and mucus up to 30 times a day. He remained in hospital at Mudros and after he sufficiently recovered arrived at Malta on the hospital ship Letitia on January 15, 1916. Here he was admitted to St. Andrews Hospital and diagnosed with dysentery remaining there until January 24 when he resumed his journey to England, again on the Letitia. He arrived in England on February 1, 1916 and was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth.

It was a slow and difficult road to full recovery, only being passed fit for home service (except for route marches) in July and reporting to camp at Witley. He was passed fit for General Service on October 16, 1916. Once recovered, he was attached to the 21st Battalion, Manchester Regiment, posted to France and was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant on July 1, 1917.

On October 26, 1918 at Le Cateau, he suffered shrapnel wounds to the left side of his neck and left leg. The shrapnel produced a small wound just above the clavicle and on his left tibia. He was X-Rayed at the CCS without issue and quickly removed to the 1st British General Hospital. From there he was evacuated back to England arriving at Southampton on November 3, 1918 where he was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth where he had been in 1916. The wounds were not life threatening and he recovered over the next few months, mainly regaining strength of the middle left trapezius muscle in his upper back which had atrophied as a consequence of the neck wound.

On December 18, 1918 he was sufficiently fit to marry Marjorie Howorth and 11 months later his son, William Norman Ingham was born.

He was was demobilised on March 4, 1919 but remained in the Territorial Reserve. Throughout his service with the 21st Manchesters in 1917 and 1918 he had been made temporary Captain several times and when he finally resigned his commission on February 22, 1921, he was granted the right to retain the rank of Captain.

By 1939 the family were living in Didsbury and Harold was working as a commercial traveler in the timber trade. Captain Harold Ingham died on November 9, 1953 and is buried in the family plot at the Southern Cemetery in Chorlton-cum-Hardy. He was 67 years old.

2/Lt. Sidney William Ruttenau

Sidney William Ruttenau was born on September 22, 1882 in Chorlton. His father, William Ruttenau, owned W. Ruttenau & Co, a leather merchant and manufacturer at the Good Hope Mill in Ashton-under-Lyne. In 1901 he was living with his mother, Helen Ruttenau, father and sister, Amy Helene, and three servants in Withington. He was educated at Sedbergh School, Cumbria and later joined the Manchester University Officer Training Corps as a cadet. The business flourished and by 1911 Sidney had joined his father as a partner in the family business and lived with his parents and five servants in a large house in Fallowfield.

Shortly after the outbreak of war he was appointed as a Second Lieutenant in the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment (Territorial Force), along with 10 others, on October 12, 1914. He joined the 2/9^th in training at Southport before moving with them to Haywards Heath and Pease Pottage. 2/Lt. Sydney William Ruttenau was one of the 5 Officers (and 222 men) who traveled to Gallipoli in July 1915, joining the Battalion at Cape Helles on July 23^rd.

Assigned as a platoon commander in C Company, he fought in the Battle of Krithia Vineyard and emerged unscathed despite being grazed by bullets twice. Already unwell, on August 12^th he was sent sick to hospital in Alexandria with Dysentery and around 45 days later was medically evacuated to the UK arriving at Devonport on October 15th on the Andania. He recovered quickly and joined the 3rd Reserve Battalion Manchester Regiment at Codford on December 21, 1915. He sailed for Egypt in February, 1916 rejoining the 9th Battalion in March 1916 and on June 1^st was promoted to Lieutenant.

He sailed with the Battalion to France, arriving March 11, 1917 and on March 27 attended a 5-day course of instruction. He left for leave in the UK on April 19^th returning 13 days later. On May 24 he left to attend a two week school of instruction on Lewis Guns at Etaples and on July 29 left to attend a Musketry course. He enjoyed another two weeks of home leave in January 1918 and upon his return immediately attended another course of instruction. He was posted to the 1/5^th Battalion Manchester Regiment on February 16, 1918 and was struck off the strength of the 9th Battalion.

He remained in the service and was demobilised on January 27, 1919 retaining the rank of Lieutenant. In October 1919 he changed his name by deed poll to Sidney William Radnor. And in on February 4, 1921 became a Lieutenant in the Territorial Reserve subsequently relinquishing his commission on September 30, 1921. In January 1924 he dissolved W. Ruttenau & Co with his father and an outside partner, perhaps due to the ill health of his father who died the following year. He continued to work as a leather manufacturer and traveled extensively for business.

Lt. Sidney William Radnor died in Didsbury on November 13, 1949. He was 67 years old.

2/Lt. William Marsden Barratt

William Marsden Barratt was born in Ashton under Lyne on July 10, 1891. His father, Herbert Barratt, was a railway audit clerk and the family lived in Ashton. William was the oldest of five boys. By 1911 he was living with his grandmother and aunt a few doors down from his parents and brothers on Richmond Street in Ashton and was employed like his father, and his brother Harold, as a Railway Clerk. His middle brother, George Herbert Barratt, was working as a bank clerk in the Ashton branch of the Manchester & County Bank.

Shortly after the outbreak of war William was appointed as a Second Lieutenant in the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment (Territorial Force), along with 10 others, on October 12, 1914. His younger brother, George Herbert Barratt, followed him less than six months later on March 2, 1915. The two brothers trained together in Southport with the 2/9^th before moving to Haywards Heath and Pease Pottage. 2/Lt. William Marsden Barratt was one of the 5 Officers (and 222 men) who traveled to Gallipoli in July 1915, joining the Battalion at Cape Helles on July 23^rd. His brother, 2/Lt. George Herbert Barratt was destined to remain with the 2/9^th when they became an independent line infantry Battalion, eventually deploying to France in March 1917.

William fought in the Battle of Krithia Vineyard and on August 28, 1915 left the Battalion for Mudros with 25 other ranks. While at Mudros he became sick with gastritis and was quickly invalided to the UK. Once in the UK, he spent some time in a nursing home in London being treated for dysentery before returning to his home in Ashton on September 26, 1915, taking medical leave until December.

Upon his recovery he rejoined the 2/9^th who were, in 1916, at camp at Witley in Surrey and on June 12, 1916 he took the opportunity to marry his sweetheart Gladys Holderness (from Ashton) at Witley, his friend, and brother Officer, 2/Lt. Harold Harrison Knight serving as his best man.

In October 1916 he deployed to France, attached to the 4th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, and remained there until May 1917 when he was medically evacuated to England. On October 9, 1917 his younger brother 2/Lt. George Herbert Barratt was killed in action while serving with the 2/9^th Battalion in Belgium.

He returned to France in February 1918 and ended his war service as a Captain (Gazetted October 7, 1917) attached to the 1/7^th Battalion Manchester Regiment and was demobilised on January 30, 1919.

In 1920 he was temporarily living with his parents, who by now had moved to Southport and on June 13 his son, John Bevan Holderness Barratt, was born. John would himself go on to serve with the 9^th Battalion in World War II, spending much of the war as a Japanese PoW, and continued to serve with the 9^th into the 1950s.

Meanwhile, William, Gladys and John moved into a bungalow (“Cherisy”) on Mottram Old Road, in Stalybridge where they remained for many years.

Orders to reform the regiment were received in October 1920 and Lt-Col D. H. Wade was appointed Commanding Officer. A few weeks later the War Office confirmed the re-appointments of some old officers including Captain Barratt. William continued to serve in the 9^th Battalion Territorials and on January 28, 1930 was promoted to Lt.-Col. when he assumed command after Lt.-Col. Beltran Ford Robinson retired. Lt.-Col. W. M. Barratt was the commanding officer of the 9th Battalion when the King and Queen visited Ashton-under-Lyne on May 20, 1938.

On March 16, 1940 he relinquished command of the 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Territorial Force and was attached to the Territorial Army Infantry Training Centre, (ITC), at Warwick. He was evidently unwell because he returned home and was admitted to hospital. He was discharged a couple of weeks later and attached to No. 18 I.T.C. at Carlisle. Three months later, after a stint at 304th ITC in Plymouth, he was discharged to the unemployed list. But in November 1940 he was selected as the Local Defence Commander, Hucknall Aerodrome at Ashfield near Nottingham. On July 1, 1942 he was appointed Group Defence Officer (GSO 1) for No 29 Group, Flying Training Command, RAF and remained in this position until August 31, 1944 when he was added to the unemployed list. Lt.-Col. Barratt resigned his commission with the Territorial Force on October 5, 1944.

Lt.-Col. William Marsden Barratt, T.D. died in hospital at Stockport on June 2, 1958. He was 66 years old.