Pte
Benjamin Akroyd
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1896 |
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Place of birth: Todmorden, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: Todmorden, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom |
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Profession: Doffer |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Verenigd Koninkrijk |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 240477 |
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Enlistment place: Rochdale, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Lancashire Fusiliers, 1st/6th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 06/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Pommern Castle & Redoubt, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 21 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: VIII Row: A Grave: 17 |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Benjamin Akroyd was the son of Thomas and Annie Akroyd. He was born around 1896 in Todmorden, West Yorkshire. He worked as a bobber. Benjamin enlisted in the British Army and belonged to the 1/6th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers Regiment (125th Brigade, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division).
Benjamin fell on 6 September 1917 at the Battle of Passchendaele. The 1/6th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers attacked positions near Beck House and Iberian that day. One company managed to take Beck House, while two other companies attacked Iberian Farm and came under machine-gun fire from the southern slopes of Hill 35. During a German counterattack, the newly taken position of Beck House was again lost and the battalion suffered heavy losses. In addition, the left flank was also exposed to shelling from Hill 35. The 1/6th Battalion had to retreat back to their original positions.
Benjamin died at the age of 21. After the war, his body was found near Pommern Castle. He was reburied in Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Benjamin fell on 6 September 1917 at the Battle of Passchendaele. The 1/6th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers attacked positions near Beck House and Iberian that day. One company managed to take Beck House, while two other companies attacked Iberian Farm and came under machine-gun fire from the southern slopes of Hill 35. During a German counterattack, the newly taken position of Beck House was again lost and the battalion suffered heavy losses. In addition, the left flank was also exposed to shelling from Hill 35. The 1/6th Battalion had to retreat back to their original positions.
Benjamin died at the age of 21. After the war, his body was found near Pommern Castle. He was reburied in Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Sources 4
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1/6 Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2654/3). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG13). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), 72-73. Sources used |
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Soldier's Effects records (National Army Museum, Chelsea (NAM) 1901-60; NAM Accesion Number: 1991-02-333). https://www.nam.ac.uk/ Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/461716 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=60dc6ce7-9d62-4bb5-be70-492cbab4176e |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/629662 |