Harry Blease
Killed in Action 3rd September 1916
Harry's Story
He was born in 1898 at Church Hulme, the son of John and Harriet Blease. His siblings, all born at Holmes Chapel, were John born 1891; Clara born 1897; Wilfred (q.v.) born 1896 and Harriet Joy born 1901.
In the 1901 Census all the family were living in Holmes Chapel Village, with Harry aged 3 years. In the 1911 Census the family were still at Holmes Chapel Village with Harry, aged 13 and at school.
Harry joined the Cheshire Regiment with the number 14512 but was later posted to the 2nd Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment with the number 15501.
He was killed in action on 3rd September 1916. He has no known grave. He is remembered on Pier and Face 7A and 7B of the Thiepval Memorial in Belgium.
Samuel Bolshaw
Killed in Action 28th October 1914
Samuel's Story
Son of Samuel and Marianne Bolshaw, Samuel was born in 1881. In 1891 he was living in Midddlewich Road with his uncle John E Bolshaw. By 1901 he had moved to Sandbach to Welles Street and was working as an assistant butcher. In 1911 he was 30 years old, single and still living at the same address. The Bolshaw family, which gave him his connection with Holmes Chapel, were still living in Holmes Chapel but at a different house to the one Samuel was brought up in.
Samuel must have enlisted at the beginning of the war or even before the start. He was reported to be a Private in the 1st Battalion of the Kings Royal Rifle Corps.
In December 1914 the Parish Magazine reported that he was killed in action in Belgium on Oct 28th 1914 aged 33. Curiously there is a report in August 1915 that S Bolshaw "had not been heard of for a very long time". However, there is no record of another S Bolshaw.
There is no known grave – his name is recorded on an Addenda Panel at the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres. The Menin Gate is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient.
'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