Private TR3/14845 Matthew Ormrod

Family details:
Son of William and Mrs. A. Ormrod, of St. Helens, Lancashire.

Census details:
1901 - 2 years old Matthew is living at 36 Brynn Street, Ashton In Makerfield with parents William (27), Annie (27) and three siblings: Mary (6), [cas=871]James Richard Ormrod[/cas] (4), Thomas (9 mths). 1911 - Sees 12 years old schoolboy Matthew living at 29 Bramwell Street, Parr, St Helens with parents William (37), Annie (37) and five siblings: Mary (16), [cas=871]James Richard Ormrod[/cas] (14), Thomas (10), Ann Leah (8), John (6). William's nephew Thomas Speakman (23) is staying with the family.

Notes:
[note=13]Two Ormrod Brothers who died in The Great War[/note] Matthews brother-in-law [cas=35]Robert Appleton[/cas] also died. [box]Cause and place of death have now been established.[/box] [box]14/03/2012 - UPDATE - CWGC have now accepted Matthew Ormrod as a Casualty of the Great War and added him to their Debt of Honour register.[/box] [box]09/08/2013 - UPDATE - Matthew's grave has now been located in St Thomas Churchyard, Ashton-in-Makerfield. Details of the grave location and an image from the burial register have been passed to CWGC. Once they accept the register entry as proof of his burial, they will arrange for an inspector to view the grave and to determine how the commemoration will be managed. If the remains of his gravestone do not show his name, then it is likely that a new CWGC headcstone will be erected, though this could take up to two years.[/box] [box]9th October 2013 - CWGC have now accepted the above as proof of his final resting place and are arranging for a CWGC headstone to be erected[/box]

On 1st September 1916, Matthew attested for Military Service, giving his age as 17 years 11 months and was immediately posted to the Army Reserve. His papers record that he was single, a Coal Miner and that he still lived at the Bramwell Street address. He was then called up for service on 16th February 1917 at Warrington, and was initially posted to the 51st Training Reserve Battalion as Private 14845. In July 1917 he was posted to the 229th Infantry Battalion then on 1st November that year, he was again transferred, this time to the 52nd Graduated Training Battalion. Finally, on 7th December 1917 he was posted to the 49th Training Reserve Battalion. On 17th June 1918, Mathew was discharged as no longer being physically fit for military service. He was reported to be suffering from Pulmonary Tuberculosis, with a recommendation that he be treated at a Sanitorium, with the degree of disablement classed as 100%. His medical records show that he had suffered from Bronchitis in civilian life and that after one year's military training, his health broke down. He was admitted to Prees Heath Military Hospital on 9th March 1918, then transferred to 3rd General Hospital on 22nd March. His date of discharge from hospital is not known. The records go on to say that Matthew's illness was aggravated by his military service, meaning that he would now be entitled to a small pension. Matthew Ormod died of Pulmonary TB on 30th December 1918 in Eccleston Hall Sanitorium. He was buried on 3rd January 1919 in St Thomas Churchyard, Ashton-in-Makerfield, where his relatives were already buried. [pic]imgs/WW1_misc/TR314845MatthewOrmrod.jpg[/pic][caption]Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929[/caption] [pic]imgs/sppics/Matthew_Ormrod_Burial.jpg[/pic][caption]The burial record for Matthew Ormrod at St Thomas, Ashton-In-Makerfield[/caption] [pic]imgs/sppics/Matthew_Ormrod_1.jpg[/pic][caption]The grave of Private Matthew Ormrod at St Thomas Churchyard, Ashton-In-Makerfield[/caption][caption](Photographs courtesy of Ted Forsyth and St Helens FHS.)[/caption] [pic]imgs/WW1_headstones/Ormrod_M_TR314845.jpg[/pic][caption]The headstone of Private Matthew Ormrod at St Thomas Churchyard, Ashton-In-Makerfield (Photographs courtesy of Ted Forsyth and St Helens FHS.)[/caption]