ORRELL, William Henry aged 25
Son of John Orrell and Eleanor Shorrock
Died 9 July 1918 Military Hospital, Scarborough
Buried
His father died in 1902
ORRELL, William H Unit: East Lancashire Regiment
Rank: Private Number: 201121
William Henry ORRELL
Rank: PRIVATE Initials: W H Birthplace: Residence: Enlisted: Darwen, Lancs Regiment, Corps etc.: East Lancashire Regiment Battalion etc.: 2/4th Battalion. Number: 201121 Date died: 9 July 1918 How died: Died Theatre of war: Home
It was officially reported that Signaller William Henry Orrell, son of Mrs E Orrell, of 10 Junction street, who volunteered for Military Service in January 1915, and went to France in July of last year, died on Tuesday last of pneumonia, following on the contraction of present epidemic of "Spanish Influenza" Signaller Orrell was 25 years of age, and in November last was wounded in the chest by shrapnel. He was stationed at Scarborough when he was taken ill and had just been selected for a draft to go on active service. In civil life he was employed at Springfield Mill as a weaver and attended Bolton road Congregational Church. His two brothers are at present in hospital in France having been made causalities whilst on active service on the Western Front.
It is interesting to note that William's death was due to the Spanish Flu (1918-1919) which resulted in between 50 to 100 million death throughout the world. Wilfred Own, the famous war poet was another patient in the Military Hospital at Scarborough at the same time as William was there. In April 1918 Wilfred was writing home to his mother and the following is the opening part of his letter.
Thanks to Tony Foster November 2011
