WEEK 42

Headstone

Willie Checkley is fourth cousin, twice removed. He was born in 1899 in Sheffield and according to the 1911 Census lived at 31 Kirkstone Road, Hillsborough, Sheffield. Special thanks are owed to Trevor Higgins for writing the following text:-

William, whose grave, is in Croisilles British Cemetery, fought in battles to take the Hindenberg Line which crossed Arrasand the northern area of the Somme, and was Germany’s last defensive line. Boyelles, Croisilles, and Bullecourt were three of the main attacks, commencing on the 24th August 1918. At the end of it on 28th August, the Division had lost 123 officers and 2381 other ranks. One can presume William was a member, and casualty, of this attack. The cemetery contains 1173 Commonwealth burials of which 647 are unidentified. A personal message marked on his gravestone states, ‘In loving remembrance from father sisters and brothers’.

Croisilles Cemetery

This is a revised version of a post which was originally published on my WordPress Blog on 10/09/2009 and republished on Mollekin Portalite on 10/05/2011.