Person

Born in 1894, William Barry Nelson was living in Seaham Harbour with his family and working underground as a miner, when he enlisted in the 14th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in September 1914. After training, William Nelson landed with his battalion in France in September 1915 and fought at the Battle of Loos, where he was wounded.

On 1 August 1916, Private Nelson was tried and found guilty of desertion. It was his third court-martial for desertion and he had previously been sentenced to penal servitude for life, before that sentence had been suspended. On this occasion there was no reprieve, and William Nelson was executed on 11 August 1916 at Acheux, near Albert, as the Battle of the Somme raged nearby.

He was 22 years old.

William Nelson is buried Acheux British Cemetery, France, in the care of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

In 1998, his name was added to the Seaham War Memorial.

Where to look for more information about this person.

Julian Putkowski & Julian Sykes, Shot at Dawn (Barnsley, 1998), pp. 110-111.

Cathryn Corns & John Hughes-Wilson, Blindfold & Alone (London, 2005), pp. 343-347.

Commonwealth War Grave Commission
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/117979/NELSON,%20WILLIAM%20BARRY

North East War Memorials Project
http://www.newmp.org.uk/article.php?categoryid=99&articleid=1371&displayorder=1

http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8564#listlink

Civil Parish: Seaham

Birth date: December 1894.

Death date: 11-Aug-1916

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 10 Back Adelaide Row, Seaham.

Employment: Miner.

Family: Son of Henry and Alice Nelson. Henry Nelson was a merchant seaman.

Military service:

14387 Private William Barry Nelson, 14th Battalion DLI. 1914-1916.

Medal(s): As William Nelson had been executed, though eligible for the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, no campaign medals were sent to his father.

Memorial(s): Seaham War Memorial.

Gender: Male

Contributed by Durham County Record Office | Durham at War Volunteer