William Foley Sheldon
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- Military History
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William Foley Sheldon was born in 1888 the son of Arthur Fletcher Sheldon a clerk and former Poor Law railway officer and Emma Elizabeth Sheldon (née Jones). Arthur Fletcher Sheldon was born in 1853 at Nottingham and Emma Elizabeth Jones was born in 1863 also at Nottingham. Married in 1881 they had seven children - Harriett Eveline b.1883 Bulwell, Thomas Arthur b.1884 Kimberley, Percy b.1886 Kimberley (kiled in action 2/8/1917), William Fowley b.1888 Kimberley, Albert b.1892 Kimberley, Daisy Letitia b.1897 Kimberley and Faith Annie b.1899 Hucknall. In 1891, they lived on Noel Street, Kimberley. In 1911 they lived at 74 Co-operative Avenue, Hucknall. Harriett was an infants’ mistress, Thomas a mechanic, Albert a miner and Daisy a machinist. William was engaged to be married to a Miss Plunkett and the wedding was to have taken place on 18 November 1918.
William Foley Sheldon enlisted on 4th March 1918 at Nottingham and was posted to “A” Signal Depot at Bedford. He weighed 126 lbs and had a chest measurement of 33½ inches. William was still under training when he died of pneumonia following influenza in Kempstone Military Hospital, Bedford, on 4 November 1918. He was buried in Redhill Cemetery, Daybrook, Nottingham (grave ref. A C 797).
Redhill Cemetery, inscription on headstone: '[Percy Sheldon] Died Aug. 2nd 1917, of gas poisoning at Boulogne, France, aged 32. Also in loving memory of Pte William Foley Sheldon, Royal Engineers, died Nov. 4th 1918 in Kempstone Military Hospital aged (-)' Report published 9th November 1918 in the Beeston Gazette & Echo:- “DEATH OF WILLIAM F. SHELDON. “Our readers will regret to hear that Signaller William Foley Sheldon, formely of Hucknall, and whose home has lately been at Arnold, died at the Military Hospital, Bedford, on Monday night last, from affects of pneumonia following influenza. Mr. Sheldon was well-known as a worker at Hucknall St. Peter's Church. On leaving school he commenced work with Messrs. Slater and Brown, grocers, Watnall road, afterwards becoming an employee under the Nottingham Co-operative Society, and later at Messr. Dixon and Parker. He has never been overseas, but joined the Royal Engineers, Signalling Section, and received his training at Bedford. Mr. Sheldon was to have been married on November 18 to Miss Plunkett, of Bingham. He was 30 years of age. The funeral will take place at Redhill Cemetery, Daybrook, on Saturday afternoon, at 2.30. “This makes the family's second loss, for Percy Sheldon is buried in France. Another brother, Joe Sheldon, is out in the fighting zone, happily well.” Above courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 His brother Percy enlisted at Ripon in Yorkshire, into the West Yorkshire Regiment and after his training he was posted to the 1/8th(Leeds Rifles) Battalion of the regiment.Beginning in mid July 1917, the British started to bombard the German lines in the Ypres Salient in readiness for the forthcoming planned British attack in that area. The Third battle of Ypres was launched on the 31st July and was aimed at capturing the Passchendaele Ridge. Percy was wounded during the early part of this battle and was passed back down the line to a Field Hospital and then on to a Base hospital on the Coastal Downs at Wimereux, not far from Calais. From there he was to be returned to England for treatment. He died of his wounds on the 2nd August at the Base hospital A memorial step on the family grave in Redhill Cemetery Arnold, shows that he died of gas poisoning at Boulogne. He is buried in Wimereux Communal Cemetery, France, Plot II. Row O. Grave 16A.
