William Henry Ballin's Story.
William Henry Cookson was born Salford Lancashire in 1877, he was the son of William and Sarah Cookson. He married Sarah Elizabeth Davies at Bowden, Cheshire on the 1 October 1898.
By 1911 the family lived at 14 Priory Street, Bowden, they had five children. Mary Jane (11) Frank (6) Katherine (5) George Robert (4) and Charles (2), they had lost one child, however they would have another daughter, Emily born 12 February 1914.
By the time of enlistment, the family resided at 40, Moss View, Lloyd Street, Altrincham. William’s papers show he was working as a Steam Roller driver. He joined the army 2 November 1914 at Altrincham, and as he had already served as a territorial soldier he was quickly sent to France, arriving there 11 January 1915.
On the 2 May of the same year his casualty records he received gunshot wounds (GSW) to his left arm and right leg, however on that day the battalion were in the brigade reserve line, so it is suspected that these wounds were caused by shell fire. He died from those wounds five days later on 7 May 1915.
