Survivors of the Great War (Additions)
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Over 200 hundred names were listed in the commemorative booklet. On this page are the names of men submitted, or discovered after publication. When possible, information about the men in the booklet will also be added to the site.
It’s perhaps worth noting, that criteria for inclusion on the list was that the men should have been born and schooled in Cheadle, or an area roughly 2 miles around town. Some exceptions were made, such as men who were in Cheadle for work, but then married and had families in the area.
John Henry (Jack) Snow
Born in 1887, he was the son of William and Jane Snow of Threapwood. Prior to the war he was a farmer and copper worker, he enlisted into the Royal Engineers 17th February 1915 (s/n: 80327).
In the Royal Engineers he held the rank of Driver and trained horses to work in teams, his medal card shows he was serving in France from 19th November 1915. In July 1916 he was wounded in the right arm at Maricourt on the Somme. He appeared on the casualty list 7th August 1916 and was discharged from service on 27th September 1916, he was issued with a Silver Badge on 23rd August 1917 (No: 229481). He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British and Victory Medals.
After the war, he returned to the copper works and also worked as a lorry driver. In 1918 he married Sarah A. Hawley in Cheadle, they had four (?) children and by the 1930s they had settled in Windy Arbour.
John died in 1984, at that time living at the Lightwood Home in Cheadle.
(Name and information submitted by Ron Allen)
Francis (Frank) Snow
Born in 1892, he was the son of William and Jane Snow of Threapwood and the younger brother of John (above). In 1915 Francis was serving in the 1st Staffordshire Yeomanry (s/n: 3230). During the Great War, the Staffordshire Yeomanry were the mounted arm of the Territorial Forces. Francis’ medal card shows he served in Egypt from 10th November 1915.
In 1917 the TF numbering structure was changed and Francis was given a new service number (300515), by that time the Staffordshire Yeomanry were part of the Corps of Hussars.
Francis was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals.
He died in 1967, his death registered in Stoke-on-Trent.
(Name and information submitted by Ron Allen)
Stephen Harrington Day
Born 2nd December 1897, he was son of Abraham and Sarah Day of Queen Street. Prior to the war Stephen (known as Steve) worked as a brass roller at the Bolton’s brassworks. On 15th June 1915, he enlisted into the Royal Navy for a period of service to last 12 years (s/n: J41574).
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He trained first as a Boy sailor at HMS Impregnable and HMS Ganges and then as a telegraphist, becoming fully qualified in December 1916. During this time he was mainly based in Portsmouth, Cornwall and Devonport, finally going to sea in 1917 on a variety of ships, including service on armed yachts in the North sea operating from Oban on “special service” from the west coast of Scotland and around the Hebrides. He finally served on a minesweeper (HMS Yeovil) and submarine depot ships in the Baltic 1919-20.
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Steve decided to leave the Navy after the war, despite having signed on for 12 years and was given free discharge. It is believed he was intending to go to technical college. He died in 1921 while in Portsmouth from the Spanish flu, contracted soon after his return home from his last mission. He was not classed as a war casualty as he died after discharge.
Steve is buried in Cheadle Cemetery and was posthumously awarded the British War and Victory Medals.
(Name and information submitted by Shaun Corkerry)
Ernest Botham
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Ernest was born 7th November 1888, the son of Joseph and Annie Botham. The family lived on Oakamoor Road (Cecilly Brook) at the time of his birth.
Ernest enlisted into the 1st Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment (No. 30011), on 12th December 1915 at Cheadle. In 1917 he was reported as wounded, appearing on the Daily List dated 4th May 1917. There is no record of his capture by enemy forces in the war, but his release from a German POW camp and return to England, was recorded on the Daily List dated 7th September 1918.
By 1918 German POW camps were so full, some soldiers (barring officers) no longer able to fight, were released back to the Allied Forces. The story goes that Ernest's arm was deliberately amputated so that he was unable to continue fighting.
Ernest was officially discharged from the army on 8th November 1918 and was issued with the Silver Badge (No. B42062), on 2nd December 1918.
Ernest appears to have returned to Cheadle and stayed there for the remainder of his life, resuming his former profession as a farmer. On the 1939 Register he is a dairy farmer, living with his mother near Cecilly Brook. His death was registered in 1959 at Cheadle.
(Name submitted by Brian Woodward)
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George Edward Woodward
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George was born in 1886, the son of Joseph and Mary Allen , who lived at Lightwood Cottage. As a teenager George worked at the Tape Mill, later he worked for the builders 'Joseph Hurst and Son'.
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In 1909 he married Amy E. Salt and at the time of the 1911 Census they're living at 21, Green Hill Lane (Froghall Road) and have a son named Bernard (born 1910). On the 1939 Register the family appear on Mill Road.
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George died in 1961 aged 74.
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Nothing is known of his army service, but it was noted in his funeral notice published in the Cheadle Post and Times.
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