Capturing, preserving and sharing Solihull's history. Also commemorating local casualties from the First World War #SolihullRemembers
Captain William Leefe Robinson VC died of cardiac arrest resulting from influenza. He died at Lavender Cottage, Harrow Weald, Middlesex after serving throughout the war.
He was born in India on 14th July 1895, and was the youngest of seven children. His was educated at St Bees College, Cumbria 1909-1914, and extracts from letters to his mother show he hoped to gain entrance to Sandhurst after leaving school and obtain a commission in either the Indian Army or British Army.
Captain Edward Rainsford Harrison, 524th Company, 61st Divisional Train, Army Service Corps, died in hospital in Abbeville, France on Christmas Day, 1918. The cause of death was double pneumonia following influenza contracted whilst on active service.
Private Horace Alfred Hawkes, 5th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment, died at Heathcote Infectious Diseases Hospital, Leamington Spa on 23rd December 1918. He was born in Leek Wootton on 15th May 1895 and was the seventh of the eight children (three sons, five daughters) of parents, Thomas and Emily (née Biddle), who had married in Cubbington in 1875.
Leading Seaman Edgar William King, of HMS St Vincent, died of influenza and pneumonia in the Royal Navy Hospital, South Queensferry, on 20th December 1918. Born on 18th May 1888 in Hampton-in-Arden, he was the son of the village postmaster, Walter King, and his wife, Elizabeth Ann (née Williams).
Gunner George Davies, 12th Mortar Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, died on 12th December 1918 in the Royal Infirmary, Liverpool, aged 26. He was born in Alderley, Cheshire in 1892, but baptised at Meriden, where the family had moved by 1894.
Private Arthur Oswald Hemming died of heart failure on 7th December 1918 whilst serving with the Wiltshire Regiment. He died at home in New Street, Castle Bromwich and is buried at SS Mary & Margaret’s Church, Castle Bromwich.
Private William Henry Cooper, 2nd Aircraft Depot, Royal Air Force died in France of influenza and bronchial pneumonia. He was born in Shirley on 1st November 1873 and, in 1881, was living in Bills Lane with parents William (a metal roller) and Louisa Amelia (née Harrison) ,who had married in Moseley in 1866. Harry, as he was known, was the third of the couple’s four children (two sons, two daughters).
Pioneer William Henry Blizzard, Royal Engineers, died on 1st December 1918 as a result of influenza, complicated by broncho-pneumonia and epitaxis. Known as Harry, he was born at Catherine-de-Barnes and his baptism is recorded in St Alphege Church records as being on 11th October 1891.
Second Lieutenant Howard Terry, Royal Air Force, died in Birmingham of pneumonia on 28th November 1918 after suffering from influenza. Born in Redditch on 23rd September 1882, he was the eighth of the eleven children of parents, Herbert (a fishing tackle manufacturer) and Mary Ann (née Young) who had married in 1865.
Private John Joseph Moreton, aged 33, died at 4pm on 26th November 1918 at Uffculme Auxiliary Hospital, Moor Green, Birmingham. He was serving with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. The cause of death was listed as (1) acute congestion of lungs probably of streptococal or mixed infection and (2) heart failure.
Solihull Life 