Stokes, Joseph
12079 Private, 3rd/8th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
Born 26th March 1891 at Manchester
Grandson of William (an agricultural foreman from Caldecote, Cambridgeshire) and Harriett (nee Pogson of Nettleham)
Cousin of Thomas and Herbert Scupholme
In 1901 was living with his grandparents at Grayingham
Grandparents moved to lived at West Street, Scotter
Joined the Oddfellows Society
Worked for 5 years as an iron driller for the Yorkshire Engineering Company of Sheffield
Enlisted 2nd September 1914 at Sheffield
Described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighing 114 pounds, Church of England
Had a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and black hair
Joined the 8th Battalion
Disembarked in France on 27th August 1915
Early in 1916 ‘home on furlough from the trenches in France and was involved in heavy fighting’
Suffered a gunshot wound to his right shoulder on 1st July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme
Returned to England later that week
Hospitalised in Bristol; later moved to a Gloucester convalescent home with:-
'little use of the right arm and hand but there is every hope of a complete recovery in course of time'
Posted to the 3rd Battalion at Alnwick on 8th June 1917 and discharged 2nd August 1917
Received Silver War Badge 133519 as no longer medically fit for active service
Address was 11 Main Road, Handsworth, Sheffield
Lived and married at Sheffield
Died in 1987 aged 96
Grandparents buried in Scotter churchyard