ARTHUR SHEARD

and

JOHN WILLIAM DENNY

The Group was recently in receipt of a grant from the Goole Community Wind Farm Fund which has allowed for two sets of First World War memorabilia to be framed.

Arthur Sheard was an Able Seaman aboard HMS Indefatigable when she was lost during the Battle of Jutland on 31st May 1916. Arthur was born 17th December 1893 in Reedness, eventually working as a keelman and living at an address in Roma Terrace, off Hodgson Street, Hull. Following his enlistment, on an unknown date, to the 5th Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry he was transferred to the Royal Naval Division on 17th August 1915, being posted to the training school at HMS Victory. On 23rd November he was posted to the battlecruiser HMS Invincible, from where just over two weeks later on 8th December he left to join the Indefatigable, being aboard officially from the following day. Both ships, along with sister ship Queen Mary were all lost during the Battle of Jutland.

Arthur married Adelaide Smith on 24th March 1913, eventually having two children – Arthur b.February 1914 and Edna b.May 1915. Following his death the Memorial Scroll and accompanying letter were sent to Adelaide. The Memorial Scroll, letter and photograph were donated to the Group from the estate of the late Carole Howard who was herself a family and local historian.

For reasons that are unknown today, Arthur is not named on any of the local  War Memorials.

The second set is comprised of a photograph of Private John William Denny, being with his wife Dora and their children, Edna and John and the British War and Victory Medals awarded to him for his service during the ‘Great War’.

No service record survives to detail John' enlistment but his BW&V Medal Roll page does show that he was in France with the KOYLI from 9th January 1917, as No.202942 before being transferred to 14th Entrenching Battalion on 16th February 1918. Ten weeks later on 5th May he is assigned to 13th Bn Rifle Brigade, as No.318430, with which he remains until 11th November 1918, then being posted to the 5th Bn London Regiment.

John was wounded on two unknown occasions as denoted by the wound strips on the left sleeve of his tunic. His name was included within the ‘Daily List’ for wounded on 25th August 1917, no other details known.

Within an article that celebrates his golden wedding anniversary to Dora, John is stated to have served in France with the KOYLI for three years, where he was wounded and gassed.

John later served with the Home Guard during the Second World War.

The medals were acquired by the Group via an online auction. Interestingly, instead of having the last unit of which he was assigned to inscribed on them, they are in fact inscribed as 202942 JW Denny KOYLI, which is how they are identified on the brass plaque below them.

The Group would like to thank Bill Reynolds, late of Gallery Framing Goole for his work on these and other items within our collection. They can all be seen at the forthcoming Goole History Exhibition at Junction, where the Group will be joined by Boothferry Family and Local History Group, Yorkshire Waterways Heritage Society and the militaria collection of Mike Howard between 18th-29th August 10am-2pm each day.