Sargent BLAND

12608, Sergeant. b. 1878, Clayton d. Sat. 29th September 1917(aged 39)

Sargent must have had some military connections in his family as he was growing up, as his Christian name is a very unusual one. In any case, soon after the declaration of war on 4th August 1914 he rejoined the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, (Prince of Wales Own) West Yorkshire Regiment where he quickly achieved the rank of Lance Corporal.

The 3rd battalion was known as a ‘special reserve’ unit mainly made up of ex-soldiers or territorial soldiers who had spent a number of years serving. They were there to be recalled as soon as a conflict broke out so Sargent’s return to the army would have been swift. He was stationed in several different locations around the globe before being sent to France in February 1917. Whilst there, he was transferred into the Army Labour Corps. (22nd Field Company) and given a promotion to Sergant.

It was in the Ypres region (Belgium) that he met his death eight months later whilst serving with the Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howard’s), and succumbed to wounds received at the front line. Sargent is buried at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium.

His wife Emma, and their five children who all lived at 8, Green End, Clayton were notified three weeks later. He had lived his entire life in the Clayton area prior to this, having grown up near the Old Dolphin in Clayton Heights with his parents and six siblings. Emma was entitled to a war widows pension of £2.8s.7p.