William Harold Eley

Private William Harold Eley, enlisted in Nottingham , he initialled served with service number 57576 in the Sherwood Foresters Regiment later transferring to the 5th Company Machine Gun Corps, died of wounds on 4th May 1917. He is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery.

In memoriam notices published on 4th May 1918 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “ELEY. – In loving memory of Pte. William H. Eley, died of wounds May 4th, 1917. He sleeps not in his native land, but 'neath a foreign sky far from one who loved him best, in a hero's grave he lies. A supreme sacrifice. – Sorrowing wife. “ELEY. – In loving memory of dear son Harold, who died of wounds, May 4th, 1917. Had we been but seen him at the last, and watched his dying bed, or hear the last sigh of his heart, or held his drooping head, our hears would not have felt such bitterness and grief, but God had ordered otherwise, and now he rests in peace. – From sorrowing father, mother, sisters, and brother, 17, Gloucester-avenue, Lenton. “ELEY. – In loving memory of Pte. William H. Eley, died of wounds May 4th, 1917. Till the day dawns and the shadows flee away. – From mother-in-law.” Above in memoriam are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Smal Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918