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Pte. Jabez Perry
British Army 6th Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
from:Goldthorpe, S.Yorkshire
(d.24th Jul 1916)
My Uncle, Jabez Perry was born in Normanton W.Yorkshire in 1893. He had 3 brothers and 3 sisters. Around 1911/12 the family moved to Goldthorpe S.Yorkshire where the father & 3 sons worked in the Mines. Jabez met a local girl, Gertrude Neal. They fell in love and married in 1913. In the same year they were blessed with a son Albert. Gertrude was 17 years old.
In 1914, as did many young men in the area, Jabez answered Kitchener's call and joined the 6th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. The only picture I have must have been taken shortly before he left his home in 1914. The picture shows Jabez with his wife Gertrude and their son Albert.
Jabez was killed on 24th July 1916 and is buried in Arras France at Avesnes-le-Comte Communal Cemetery Extension. His widow, Gertrude, died in 1918 of the Spanish Flu. Therefore, young Albert was left an orphan at 5 years of age and was, presumably, brought up by his Grandmother, Catherine Neal. I have located the grave of Gertrude in which her mother and father are also buried. This to me is a sad, sad story. My father was born in 1910, also in Normanton.
Editor's Note - At the time of his death, the 6th Battalion K.O.Y.L.I. who were part of the 14th Division, were engaged in the Battle of Delville Wood, a phase of the Battle of the Somme.
