Private Henry Pollard.
10127 Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
Died 26 December 1916 (after a heart attack due to war service), aged 24.
Henry was born in Burnley, the son of John Thomas Pollard and Mary Ashworth Turner. In the 1901 census the family lived at 1 White Bull St, Burnley. John Thomas 46 miner, born in Padiham. Mary 39 weaver, Jane 17 weaver, Grace 15 weaver, Nellie 14 weaver, Henry 8, Samuel 6 all born in Burnley.
The family were still living in White Bull St., in the 1911 census. John 57, Mary 49, Jane 27, Grace 25, Nellie 24, Henry 18 and Sam 16. His parents had been married 29 years and they had 8 children and 3 had died.
Henry enlisted in the Welsh Fusiliers on the 16th May 1916, aged 23 and his occupation was a weaver. He gave his father as his next of kin. He was discharged soon afterwards on the 7th July as being medically unfit to be a soldier.
From The Express and Advertiser dated 30 December 1916: LOCAL WAR ITEMS.
The Burnley Weavers Association have this week paid a funeral claim in respect of Henry Pollard (24), of 1 White Bull Street, who had been discharged from the army 11 weeks ago, and who has now died from heart failure.
From The Express and Advertiser dated 21 April 1917: ANOTHER WEAVER KILLED. A TRUE BRITISHER.
Another Burnley Weaver who has made the supreme sacrifice is Harry Wilkinson, 235107 of the Kings Liverpool Regiment. He was killed in action on March 26th. Such is the information received by Mrs Wilkinson his widow who resides with her two children at 20 White Bull Street Burnley.
Rifleman Wilkinson enlisted at Burnley on July 6th 1916, and after training at Wareham and Dorchester, was drafted out in December and has seen much Active Service. The deceased soldier who was 29 years of age was previous to emlistment a weaver at Messrs’ Walmsley Peel Mill Rosegrove.
The family have suffered very heavily in the present war. Mrs Wilkinson has lost two brothers. Private Sam Pollard of the East Lancashire Regiment was killed in the Battle of Ypres and her brother Private Henry Pollard of the Welsh Fusiliers, died in Burnley in December last shortly after his discharge, whilst her husband's brother Private James Wilkinson, of the Scots Fusiliers has been missing since the Battle of Mons.
The news is conveyed in the following letter from Sgt W fortune: "It is with the greatest regret I have to convey to you the sad news that your good husband Rifleman Henry Wilkinson, was killed in action on March 26th. He made the great sacrifice without suffering any pain which I hope at least, will be a little consolation for you to know. During the short time he was with my Platoon, he became very popular indeed, and was well liked by his comrades. He was always cheery and proved himself a true Britisher at all times, especially in the hours of our greatest trials. He is a great loss to the Platoon, and I assure you we feel it very much. His comrades join me in tendering our heartfelt sympathy."
Lived at 1 White Bull Street.
Henry is buried in Burnley Cemetery: Grave Ref; 4738 section 12.