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The Soldiers |
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15/216.Private G.W.Colcroft |
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About 15/216.Private
G.W.Colcroft's family:- William Colcroft, the son of William and Alice (Nee Bagot) Colcroft was born in 1836 at Stanningley Leeds. After very basic schooling, he joined the West Yorkshire regiment as a bandsman. Later whilst serving at the Curragh in Ireland he met Catherine Deahunty from Birr who he married in 1858. After leaving the army he and his wife emigrated to America where William joined the United States Army (family tradition has it that he fought against the Indians around the time of the battle of Little Big Horn). America must not have been to his liking as he returned to England leaving his wife and daughter behind. Some time later after his wife had died he remarried and in 1885 a son George William was born. He attended Stanningley Baptist School and as a young man represented his school in many cross country running events and competitions. Shortly before the War he had won the Yorkshire Cross Country Championship. He enlisted on 3/9/1914 and soon became a valued member of the sports and recreation committee. Sadly on the 12th of November 1914 he was taken to Seacroft hospital Leeds where, a week later, the Yorkshire Post reported he had died of: "Complications arising from rheumatism."
Special thanks to Rick Beyer, a relative in the U.S.A, for supplying the American side of this story. |
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