Person

William Eddy was born in Tudhoe, Spennymoor, in 1887 and lived there until moving to Wheatley Hill. He lived as a boarder (working as a painter) in the house of John William and his sister Selena Beeton, who would become Eddy’s wife in 1911. The couple had had three children by 1914 when he enlisted the 7 September 1914 in Bishop Auckland.

He first served with 1/6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry and was sent to France on 19 April 1915. The next year, 6 January 1916, Eddy was posted to 23rd Battalion (which would become 26th in January 1917). In April and June of that year he was promoted to Lance Corporal and Pioneer Sergeant. He was finally discharged on 26 Febuary 1919 under King’s Regulations, Paragraph 392, XXVa (i.e. “Surplus to military requirements – Not having suffered impairment since entry into the service”).

Sergeant William Eddy died at Easington, County Durham in 1938 at the age of 51.

Civil Parish: Wingate

Birth date: 1887

Death date: 1938

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: Tudhoe, Spennymoor, County Durham (birth place)
45 Hope Street, Tudhoe (1891 census)
45 Weardale Street, Tudhoe (1901 census)
10 Anne Street, Wheatley Hill, County Durham (1911 census, 1919)
Easington, County Durham (death place)

Religion: Church of England

Organisation membership: 1/6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry; 26th (Territorial) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

Employment: Painter (1911 census, 1914)

Family: Wife: Selena (nee Beeton), married in Thornley the 11th of August 1911.
Offspring: Ernest (3/6/12), William (20/2/14), John Robert (5/3/14)
Father: George Eddy
Mother: Mary Ann (nee Mason)
Siblings: Henry, Elizabeth, Amy, May A, Lily, Robert

Military service:

Private/ Lance Corporal/ Pioneer Sergeant
Regimental number: 6/2341, later 350394
1/6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry; 26th (Territorial) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
1915 Star

Gender: Male

Contributed by John Sheen | Durham at War Volunteer