Trafford

Born during either the December quarter 1876 or the March quarter 1877 in
the Barton upon Irwell R.D. - ref: 8d/629 or 8d/693, the elder son of
William & Elizabeth Massey.

1891 Census - 6 Poplar Road, Stretford.   Son - aged: 14 - occ: Scholar -
born: Stretford.  Head of household - William Massey - Married - aged: 36 -
occ: Labourer at Gas Works - born: Stretford.   Also Elizabeth Massey -
Wife - aged: 38 - born: Stretford.   Plus 1 elder sister.

1901 Census - 1 Jackson Street, Stretford.    Son - aged: 24 - occ:
Boatbuilder - born: Stretford.  Head of household - William Massey -
Married - aged: 46 - occ: Engine Driver at Gas Works - born: Stretford. 
Also Elizabeth Massey - Wife - aged: 49 - born: Stretford.   Plus 2
siblings.

1911 Census - 108 Cyprus Street, Stretford.   Son - aged: 34 - occ:
Boatbuilder - born: Stretford.  Head of household - William Massey -
Married - aged: 67 - occ: Labourer at Gas Works - born: Stretford.  Also
Elizabeth Massey - Wife - aged: 69 - born: Stretford.   Plus 2 siblings.

Attended St. Martin's School, Ashton upon Mersey.    Employed by Mr. Samuel
Warburton, Brookside Farm, Sinderland Rd, Dunham Massey.

Enlisted in September 1914 and drafted to the front on the 21st May 1915???
  His MIC states that he originally a Private - No. 5093, serving with the
19th Division, Army Cyclist Corps.   He later transferred to the Royal
Welsh Fusiliers.  The record states that he was posted to France on the
17th July 1915, part of the 58th Brigade, 19th (Western) Division.

His Battalion moved forward from Bresle to the Tara-Usna Line on the 1st
July.  They attacked La Boiselle at 16.00 hrs on the 2nd July.   That
attack cleared the western end of the village, establishing a line near to
the Church by nightfall.   Bombing attacks continued at 02.45 hrs on the
3rd.   The enemy counter-attacked and forced their withdrawal to the edge
of the village.  The Battalion suffered 164 casualties, including William
who died of his wounds six days later.

Buried in a trench grave close up to his comrades next to him.  So close
that there is not room for individual headstones.   Neither is there room
on the triple named headstones for regimental/corps badges, 117 in all,
have been set into a cloister wall on the north side of the cemetery.  The
other two names on his headstone are - Private H. Horney - Cheshire Rgt and
Private L. Wilde - King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.

His death was reported in the 18/08/1916 edition of the Altrincham
Guardian.

Listed in the Guardian Year Book - Roll of Honour for 1917.