Walter Sisson

Unknown

Forest Communal Cemetery France Grave Reference: A 16 His father Walter Gethan Sisson was killed 1/7/1916 serving with 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. The inquest into the death of Clifford Sisson, an infant, in a fire concluded that one of his siblings had set his clothing alight whilst his mother, Elizabeth, went out to collect her Separation Allowance. Her husband and eldest son were to die in the war. Article published on 4th May 1916 in the Nottingham Daily Express :- “MYSTERIOUS BASFORD TRAGEDY. “Inquest on Soldier’s Child who Died from Burns. “A mysterious case of burning was the subject of an inquest held by the Nottingham City Coroner, yesterday, [3rd May 1916] at Hyson Green “The victim was Clifford Sisson, an infant child, whose mother lives at 50, Percy-street, Basford, his father being in the Army. “The mother stated that on returning home on Monday,[1st May 1916] after drawing her separation allowance, she found the deceased child behind a door. Its underclothing was burnt, and the skirt was still smouldering. The child was removed to the General Hospital, where death resulted from shock due to burns. “Witness added that when she went out her two other children, aged three and five, were with the deceased. On her return these elder children were upstairs in bed. She had been told that one of them had put a stick through the fireguard, lighted it, and put it on the baby. “The jury found that the child died from shock due to burns sustained while left alone in the home with other children. The coroner added that so far as the guard was concerned the fire was apparently as safe as any fire could be.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.