James WIDDOP

18077, Private. b. 1893, Bradford d. Mon. 6th March 1916 (aged 22).

A man whose time in the army was hugely short lived, James never completed the training programme he set out to undertake.

James was conscripted and enlisted in Halifax on 22 November 1915. James is shown as being single aged 21, just 5 days off his 22nd birthday. His address is shown as 13 Lidget Terrace and he was living at home with his mother Jane. His occupation is shown as a Warp Twister.

He was sent to train with the 11th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in Rugeley, Staffordshire and just five weeks into the programme he contracted a fatal bout of pneumonia and was admitted to hospital at Brindley Heath on 2nd March 1916 and succumbed to this illness 4 days later.

His service record shows he was ‘Home’ from 22nd November 1915 to his death on 6th March 1916.

Due to his short time in the army, James was never entitled to any medals but was entitled to a certificate and a plaque. Medals were only distributed to those who served overseas or had come under some form of enemy fire (such as those on patrol around the British coastline or involved in the Zeppelin raids).

On his army record form W50X completed by his mother after his death Jane Widdop is shown as living at 4 Pinnacle, Clayton, his father is listed as deceased and he is shown as having a brother, John T Widdop aged 23 and a sister Elsie Walton (married) aged 27 and living at 13 Lidget Terrace. John T Widdop survived the war and in 1939 is shown living at 36 Cumberland Road with his sister Elsie’s family. John T died in 1947.

James is buried at Rugeley (Wolseley Road) Road Cemetery, Staffordshire.