123740 PTE. D. SLATER. R.G.A.

 

Daniel Slater was born in the first quarter of 1898 in Clayton le Woods.  His father was John William Slater (b. 1876 in Whittle le Woods), a waterproofer in the rubber trade.  His mother was Grace Catterall (b. 1876 in Rishton, near Blackburn).  John and Grace were married at Farington St Paul’s on 12 August 1896 and they had 4 children: Daniel was the oldest, followed by Edith Ann (b. 1899), Henry (b. 1902) and Emmanuel (b. 1908).  In 1911, the family was living at Rock Villa Road in Whittle le Woods and John was working at one of the rubber factories in Leyland, Grace was a weaver and Daniel (aged 13) had started work as a tenter in a cotton mill.  Shortly afterwards, it seems, the family moved to 3 Caton Terrace, Lostock Hall.

 

Daniel was only 16 at the outbreak of War in 1914.  It’s possible that he lied about his age in order to enlist, but no records exist.  Or he may have been conscripted in 1916, in any case he joined the Royal Garrison Artillery, was assigned service number 123740 and posted to 261 Siege Battery.  261 Bty was in training in Plymouth in June 1916 and they arrived in France on 8 February 1917 (at the same time as many Lostock Hall and Bamber Bridge men serving with the Royal Field Artillery).  Unfortunately, no War Diary for 261 Siege Battery exists so we can’t know precisely what happened to him but it may be that, like the RFA men, he went first to Armentières then in July to the Ypres Salient.  He was wounded near Poperinge, north-west of Ypres, and died of wounds at 47 Casualty Clearing Station on 16 July 1917, aged 19.

 

Rank:  Gunner

Service No:  123740

Date of Death:  16/07/1917

Age:  19

Regiment/Service:  Royal Garrison Artillery, 261st Siege Bty.

Grave Reference: I. G. 2.

Cemetery:  DOZINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY

Additional Information:  Son of J. W. and G. Slater, of 3 Caton Terrace, Lostock Hall, Preston.

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