Spedding,+William+Henry

2nd/6th Battalion Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment. Service no. 265402.
 * Corporal William Henry Spedding**



William went missing on 3rd May 1917. An official decision was made early in 1918 that he was missing, presumed killed on that date.

William was born in Gargrave in the early part of 1898, to parents Frederick Wilson Spedding and Maria Spedding. The birth was registered in Skipton in the second quarter of the year and he was baptised at St Andrew's Church in Gargrave on the first of September. When he was two years old his family was living at 32, River Place, Gargrave, and his father was a Coal Carter in the 1901 census. He had two sisters Lilian May aged four years, and Bertha Florence at eleven months. By 1911 they had moved to Lower Green in Gargrave and William was twelve years old and working half time as a cotton ring doffer and half time at school. At some point they moved to 3, Wren Street, Keighley and he enlisted for the Army in 1914 and was later described as one of 'Keighley's Gallant Sons', which listed early volunteers for the Great War. His address at this time was 17, Prospect Place. He would have been around sixteen years old and we assume they spotted he was under age, as he didn't go out to France until 1917, when he would have been nineteen. Prior to joining the colours he worked for Hall & Stells of Keighley. He wasn't in France for more than a few months before he was killed in action on 3rd May, the day he went missing and failed to answer roll call.

2/6 Battalion Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment. War Diary entry for 3rd May 1917: MORY 2/5/17 9pm H.90 A & B Coys under Lt Col S W Ford proceeded to the Railway Embankment at U.26.c.70 in order to take part in an attack which the 62nd Division was making at 3:40 am on the 3rd May 1917 on BULLECOURT (FRANCE SHEET 51B SW4) & trenches of the HINDENBURG LINE West of BULLECOURT at map reference: U.26.c.7.0. 3/5/17. 10 pm. The Battalion suffered severe losses during the attack on this date. Casualties: Officers. 1 killed, 5 wounded, 3 missing, Other ranks: Killed, 15. Wounded, 155. Missing, 88.

The authorities must have gone through various channels to try to find out if he had been taken prisoner by the Germans, or had been wounded and was lying in a hospital somewhere, but finally they had to take the decision that he had been killed in action. Keighley News dated 23rd February 1918, page 3: Corporal W. H. Spedding, of 3, Wren Street, Keighley, was reported missing from May 3 last, is now reported killed. He joined the West Riding Regiment in 1914, and went to France in 1917. He was formerly employed by Hall & Stell Ltd., Keighley.

William Henry Spedding has no known final resting place, and his name is recorded in perpetuity on the Arras Memorial at Fauborg D'Amiens Cemetery. He is also remembered locally in Keighley's Great War Roll of Honour Book in Keighley Library. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medals for his war service.