Corporal William Mounsey MSM.
10729 9th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
Died of Wounds 4th January 1917, aged 21.
William married Sarah Dunn in the Dec quarter of 1916 in Burnley.
From the Burnley Express dated 17 January 1917: ONLY MARRIED SIX WEEKS -COMMENDED FOR A YEAR SERVICE.
The wife of Corporal William Mounsey, 10729, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, can hardly realise her loss as it was only on December 15th that he set sail for the front, after having been in England since June suffering from a wound in the shoulder. Since he sent a postcard from Folkestone on December 15th, she has had no letter, and the news of his death from in the Canadian Casualty Clearing station on January 4th came as a great shock. It seemed impossible to have occurred in the time, but the notification is official from Preston.
Corporal Mounsey, who was only 21 years of age was in the Special Reserve when war broke out, and has been at the war practically since the Beginning. He was wounded last June in the shoulder, and after being in hospital at Darwen he was married on November 13th last and return to the front on December 15th.He was a most efficient soldier and he had received a card from the General of his Division congratulating him upon "performing good general work and continuous devotion to duty for over 12-months active service with the Battalion." this commendation has been forwarded to Headquarters and some honour may follow.
Corporal Mounsey was a Preston man, but his mother now resides at 6 Devonshire Road Burnley, and his wife at 32 South Street. He last worked as a weaver at Moor Park Mill, Preston. Mrs Mounsey so soon bereaved after her marriage, has had her only brother, Private Arthur Rhodes, wounded and he has now recovered.
From the Burnley Express dated 17 January 1917: NEIGHBOURS BEREAVED. BURNLEY SISTER'S MADE WIDOW'S.
Pathetic indeed are the circumstances under which two wives live in within two doors of each other in South Street Burnley, have been rendered husband loss by the wars heavy toll. Practically together Mrs Lister of number 28, and Mrs Mounsey of number 32, received official news of their husbands deaths, 1 in Salonika and the other in France. Mrs Mounsey was married 6 weeks ago and her husband only returned from leave a fortnight ago. Mrs Lister is left with 5 children under 10 years of age, and her great sorrow follows that of her sister, Mrs Heys of 15 Lawn Street who, two years to the day Mrs Lister's husband was killed, became a widow through husband, Private John Heys, being killed. Mrs Listers husband is the only son of Mr and Mrs Lister of 55 Cromwell Street.
Lived at 6 Devonshire Road.
William left his effects to his widow Sarah
William was buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, France: Grave Ref; III.A.139.
