Wigan Album

Correction, my Grandfather was a Kitchener recruit even though he was in his 30's then and was married with 2 children. He/they did in fact join up in 1915. He was posted to France on the 25th. September 1915.

My Grandfather Henry Platt enlisted on 10th August 1914, he served in the 22nd Manchester Regmt but was transferred to the Loyal North Lancs Regmt on 29th May 1915.Despite being gassed in 1918 he survived the war. He too was from the Wallgate area living on Chapel street.

James, was your Grandfather gassed during the German Spring Offensive of April 1918 ? My Grandfather was shot during that offensive in the right eye, and was taken POW for the rest of WW1 on 11th.April 1918. He survived and lived till January 1961, aged just short of 80 years old.There were a lot of Wigan lads in the 8th and 9th Battalions of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.

Pete, My Grandfathers service record shows that he was seconded to the Divisional Engineers on 19th Nov 1915. Was gassed on 7th March 1917 ( one wk in hosp ). Was gassed again on 19th March 1918 ( 6 mths in hosp ). He lived until 1968 to the age of 74yrs. May be our grandads paths crossed, we will never know. ?

Does anyone know who this might be ? Could it be one of the Langton family ?

Hi Pete, my mum was May Coffey. Her mum was Ellen Langton, who married Alfred Shirley. Ellen was the sister of Elizabeth Langton who married John Barker. Are these your grandparents? Am I right in thinking the man in the picture has red hair?

Hi, Tony, yes John and Elizabeth Barker were my paternal grandparents. I vaguely remember my grandad as he passed away in early 1961. I was only 6 years old then. My dad who passed away in 2014 had red hair, as did I, till I went grey.