This is feature Page

of

John Albert Hollingsworth
2/7th and 2/8th Battalion
Lancashire Fusiliers (Territorial Force)
and

THRELKELD, J W
Private 281145 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers.

This is John Foy's Grandfather and Great Uncle


 

My Granddad John Albert Hollingsworth was born in Salford in 1895. He was the son of William and Mary Ann Hollingsworth who at the time lived at 18 Mount pleasant Street, William was a carter by profession so when my grandad was old enough he followed this profession delivering coal and other goods to the local estate. Just before the war broke out the family moved to 34 Sydney street in Salford, this is where William and Mary ann lived for the rest of their lives. My granddad joined the 2/8th Battalion Lancashire fusiliers which was a territorial force and the records of the formation of the 2/8th as follows: 2/7th and 2/8th Battalion Territorial Force


4th Aug 1914 The 2/7th formed in Salford then moved to Mossborough and the 2/8th formed at Mossborough and then both moved to Southport as part of the 197th Brigade of the 66th Division.
May 1915 Moved to Crowborough and then Tunbridge Wells.
Mar 1916 Moved to Hyderabad Barracks at Colchester
28.02.1917 Mobilised for war and landed at Havre and the Division engaged in various action on the Western front including;
During 1917
The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of Menin Road Ridge. On the 21 st march 1918 the Battalion records show the following report below.


By the end of the first day of the attack, 21,000 British soldiers had been taken prisoner and the Germans had made great advances through the lines of the Fifth Army. My Granddad was captured on the 23rd March 1918 and the place of capture is recorded as 'Roisel' on the German record sheet for the British red cross.

After his capture he was sent to Munster2 POW camp in Westfalia North Rhine, Germany. After the war on returning to England my Granddad married his childhood sweetheart Georgina Threlkeld( who Brother john had joined the 1st Lancs Fusiliers and was killed in April 1918 and lays to rest in Poelcapelle cemetery Belgium)


My grandad finally passed away in 1971 and is buried in Pendlebury cemetery in Salford along with his dutiful wife Georgina.

When i was visiting my beautiful and loving sister over the weekend she gave me some letters from my granddad Hollingsworth. He was a WW1 POW and served in the Lancs Fusiliers 19th Battalion. These letters home from the Pow camp Munster 2 in Germany are over 100 years old...pic of Granddad John Albert Hollingsworth and Grandma Georgina Hollingsworth ...on one of the pics is my granddads small employment book..this shows his role in the Army was a PHYSICAL INSTRUCTOR...this being a massive coincidence as i not only Joined the Fusiliers but my role in the Army was a PHYSICAL TRAINING INSTRUCTOR..We were also called John.....The pic showing a signed note from King George V was sent to My Grandma's Family as her brother John William Threlkeld (my great uncle) was KIA WW1 in France..he served with the 1st Battalion Lancs Fusiliers...

MAY YOU ALL REST IN PEACE!!




Sent in by John Foy 2RRF

John William Threlkeld (John's great uncle) was KIA WW1 in France..he served with the 1st Battalion Lancs Fusiliers...

THRELKELD, J W Private 281145 1st Bn. UNKNOWN 16-Mar-18 0 XXXII. B. 15. POELCAPELLE BRITISH CEMETERY Belgium Langemark-Poelkapelle, West-V.