Henry Slate
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
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Henry Slate was born in 1883 the son of Arthur, a baker, and Elizabeth Ann Slate (née Mills) who was born in 1856 at Loghborough and died aged 44 in 1899. His father was born in 1856 at Nottingham. Married in 1875 at Radford , they had eight children - Elizabeth b.1877 Radford, John b.1879 Hyson Green, Arthur b. 1880 Hyson Green, Henry b.1883 Nottingham, Edith b.1890, Nottingham, Albert b.1893 Nottingham, Ethel b.1896 Nottingham and Nellie b.1898 Nottingham. Henry married Harriet Ellen Pilgrim (b. 1899) at Nottingham in 1909. In 1911 they lived at 84 Norland Road and later at 6 First Avenue Carlton (both Nottingham). They had two children - Henry born 1912 in Nottingham and Elizabeth K born and died in 1917. In 1911 Henry’s family lived at 59 Edwin Street St Ann’s Nottingham. With effect from 24/3/1919, Harriet received a weekly pension of 22/11d for herself and child. In 1919 Harriet married George Clay.
Henry Slate enlisted at Nottingham on 29th August 1914. He landed as a reinforcement to the 1st Battalion on 5th February 1915. He was promoted to Corporal on 6th July 1916 and Sergeant on 7th December 1916. He received a gunshot wound to his knee on 4th March 1917 and returned to England and was treated in Hospital in Norfolk. After recovering, he was posted to 15th Battalion on 27th April 1918 but returned to 1st Battalion on 17th June 1918. Vis en Artois Memorial Panel 7
His brother Private Albert Slate, 8th Battalion Machine Gun Corps, was killed in action on 25th October 1918. He is buried in Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery. Henry Slate was wounded on 4th March 1917. He was interviewed in a Norfolk hospital about the circumstances following was published on 18th April 1917 in the Nottingham Daily Express :- “HIT AFTER 27 MONTHS. “Nottm. Soldier Satisfied with his Experience in France. “In a letter typical of the indomitable spirit of the British soldier Sergeant H. Slate, an employee of the Mapperley Brick Co., writes from a hospital in Norfolk where he is being treated for a wound in the right knee and a fractured little finger: “Never mind, it has taken the Germans long enough to find me; 27 months is not so bad in France after all, and I can assure you I have been a nuisance to them more or less during that period. So I am highly satisfied with my bargain, and with a little luck I shall soon be right again. I was only about one mile from Bapaume when this bit happened, and my platoon was advancing grandly at the time I was hit, so I was rather disheartened, and try as I would I could not possibly stand, and if I could have done so I should either have been a landowner or got my own back. But as I got “done” about ten o'clock in the morning I stayed till dark with my men when reinforcements arrived. I was compelled to crawl to the dressing station as best I could, but not till I saw the whole objective was won.” In memoriam published 27th August 1919 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “SLATE. – In loving memory of Sergt. Henry Slate, killed in action August 27th, 1918 [sic]; also Pte. Albert Slate, killed in action October 25th, 1918. The supreme sacrifice. – From brother Arthur, Annie, and boys. “SLATE. – In loving memory of our dear brother, Sergt. H. Slate, killed in action August 27th, 1918. Also our dear brother, Pte. A. Slate, killed in action October 25th, 1918. Reunited, not dead to those that loved them. – Loving sisters, Edie and Nellie, and Tom (in Germany).” Above are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
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