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Tracing Your Roots To Gallipoli

Remembering some of the Bolton men who lost their lives in the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915

Norman Edwardson

Norman EdwardsonBolton Journal and Guardian 12 November 1915

Daisy Hill Goalkeeper Dies at Malta

Mr. Thomas Edwardson, 8, St. James-st., Daisy Hill, has received official information that his son, Pte. Norman Edwardson (20173), 1st Border Regiment, has died of dysentery in the hospital at Malta. The deceased soldier enlisted at Atherton in April, this year in the 3rd Border Regiment. He did his training at Shoeburyness and was afterwards transferred to the 1st Border Regiment, and sailed for the Dardanelles at the end of August. He was 17 years of age, was employed at Messrs. Fletcher, Burrows and Company’s Arley mine, and attended Daisy Hill St. James’s Church and Sunday School. He was also goalkeeper for Daisy Hill second team in the Leigh and District Sunday School League. Another brother (Ernest) who was a player with the second team of Daisy Hill Cricket Club, has enlisted in the King’s Own Royal Lancasters and been in France since April.

Norman was the son of Thomas Edwardson b.1859, a builder's labourer who had previously worked as a coal miner and in cotton mills, and Ann Edwardson née Halliday b.1858.

On the 1881 Census Thomas and Ann were living in Wigan and had two sons, John b.1879 and James b.1880.

By 1891 the family had moved to 34 New Sirs, Westhoughton. James was no longer with them but there are four new children: Mary Jane b.1882, Edith b.1885, Rachel b.1887 and Thomas b.1891.

On the 1901 Census the family were living at 1 Old Sirs, Westhoughton and had been joined by Norman, Ernest b.1894 and Ethel b.1896.

In 1911 the family were still at the same address and Norman was working as a labourer in a print works.

His medical examination on enlisting in the Army recorded him as being 5' 6 1/2" tall and 143 lbs.

His name is on Westhoughton War Memorial.

 

Name Ratcliffe, James
Rank Private
Number 20173
Unit 1st Bn
Border Regiment
Born Westhoughton, Lancashire
1898
Enlisted Atherton, Lancashire
8 April 1915
Died Gallipoli, Turkey
6 October 1915
Age 17
Grave or Memorial Hill 10 Cemetery,
Gallipoli, Turkey
CWGC DETAILS
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