Alec Mottershead
Died of Wounds 9th July 1916
Alec's Story
Alec, son of Thomas and Mary Ann Mottershead, was born in 1891 at Cross Town, Knutsford but by 1901 he was living at Twemlow Lane, Cranage aged 10.
He is known to have attended Cranage School and on leaving became a farm labourer.
On 25th September 1909 he enlisted as a regular soldier at Chester aged 18 and his military record says he was height 5 ft 9¼ inches and a farm labourer. He Joined the Cheshire Regiment number 9216 and served in the 1st, 2nd; 3rd and 9th Battalions.
Details from his military record show that he was in England from May 1909 to December 1910 when he travelled to India until December 1914. He was again in England until January 1915 after which he joined the forces in France. At some stage he was promoted to sergeant.
He died of wounds whilst serving the 9th Battalion, Cheshire Regt on July 9th 1916 and is buried in Grave II.B.71A Etaples Military Cemetery
Eric Noppin
Killed in Action 26th October 1917
Eric's Story
Eric Noppen (spelt Noppin on war memorial) was born on 16th June 1895 to Hendrick and Louisa Noppen, of Wilmslow. Eric’s father was a Dutch born shipping merchant.
In the 1901 census the family was still living at Moor Lane in Wilmslow and Eric was 6.
For several years before the war he lived and worked in Holmes Chapel and Cotton. He was a regular worshipper at the church and wrote several times to say how much he looked forward to returning to the church after the war.
Eric joined the Army service Corps at Middlewich in July 1915. He subsequently transferred to the 2/4th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment as a private 28492.
He was killed in action on 26 October 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres. An offensive was mounted by Commonwealth forces to divert German attention from a weakened French front further south. The initial attempt in June to dislodge the Germans from the Messines Ridge was a complete success, but the main assault north-eastward, which began at the end of July, quickly became a dogged struggle against determined opposition and the rapidly deteriorating weather. The campaign finally came to a close in November with the capture of Passchendaele.
Eric’s body was never found but his name is recorded on panel 102-104 of the Tyne Cot Memorial - The Tyne Cot Memorial bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known.
Tyne Cot Memorial
'They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.'
Extract from 'For the Fallen' by Laurence Binyon