Wilfred's Story.
Weaverham St. Mary's “Roll of Honour” records five Shallcross lad’s, A. Shallcross, W. Shallcross, J.T. Shallcross, J. Shallcross and S. Shallcross. The “Fallen Memorial names J. (Joseph) Shallcross Pte., and A. (Arthur) Shallcross Mercantile Marine.
Arthur Shallcross “Lost at Sea” is named on the Acton Bridge Methodist Church Memorial and a Wilfred Shallcross is named on the Baptist Church Memorial
C.W.G.C.; Wilfred Shallcross, Service No 110474; Private; “E” Coy. 53rd Bn. Manchester Regiment died 14th Nov. 1918 aged 18, son of Hannah Shallcross of Hamletts Hollow, Norley, Warrington and the late Aaron Shallcross. Remembered with Honour - St. Mary’s Weaverham.Personal Inscripton; For me to live is Christ to die is gain.
The 53rd Battalion was a young soldiers battalion. Information from Gary Smith of the Manchester Regimental Museum at Ashton-under-Lyne pointed me towards the museum’s information; The 53rd Battalion was...“Formed from 17th Cheshire Regiment, re-designated 74th Training Reserve Battalion and then in October 1917 became a Young Soldiers Battalion as the 53rd Battalion in 14 Reserve Brigade at Prees Heath, Cheshire. Then to Kinmel, North Wales where it remained until disbandment.”
As no other information appeared to be available on Wilfred I decided to try and obtain both his Birth Certificate and his Death Certificate; Wilfred was born on the 1st October 1900. It also confirms Wilfred’s connection to the village, in that he was born in Acton R.D. His father Aaron Shallcross is recorded as a Gardener (domestic servant) and his mother, Hannah Shallcross was formerly a Hough. The Death Certificate stated that he died in a military hospital at Bodelwyddan of Broncho-pneumonia. It is very likely that young Wilfred was still in his training period and would never have left these shores. This would suggest that Private Shallcross although having signed up for military duty would not have had the opportunity to serve his country in a theatre of war as he does not appear to be on the WW1 Medal Roll. Discussions with a Regimental Museum confirmed that medals would have been awarded to lads who had served in a theatre of war.
[In the 1911 census we find Wilfred living with his family “Near Station”, there was mother Hannah, father Aaron , two brothers Frank and Albert and a sister Elsie May. Aaron had died in 1915.]
Kinmel Camp was badly effect by the 1918/19 flu pandemic with the death of many soldiers. The local church, known as the marble church, has over 80 WW1 war graves of Canadian Soldiers who succumbed to the flu virus. Kinmel Camp dates back to before WW1. There are WW1 practice trenches, now preserved, dug by recruits as examples of its time. (The trenches are within the grounds of Bodelwyddan Castle.)
Wilfred is named on the Memorial at St. John the Evangelist, Norley and also remembered on the Norley Wildflower Memorial Walk, No7 at Hambletts Hollow which is where is mother went to live at the end of the war.
Research Bob Heaton