CWGC Appeal for relatives.........Pvt John Willie Drake

[*Sandra*]

Commonwealth Graves Commission would like to make contact with any relatives of John Willie Drake born 1887 Halifax and died 15 April 1916 Fargo Hospital - Duke of wellington (West Riding Regiment)  son of Sam Drake (1856 - 1923) and Sarah Hannah Skelton (1859 - 1938)

(Perhaps this could have been Fargo Military Hospital Larkhill Salisbury Plain)

He was a member of Illingworth Church, the Choir & the Church Lads' Brigade / a member of Mixenden AFC / a travelling draper [1911] / a cabinet maker.

Private Drake (service #4960) was with the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) 2nd/4th Bn. when he died of pneumonia. Aged 29 years. Son of Sarah Hannah Drake, of 13 Hays Lane, Mixenden, Halifax, and the late Sam Drake.

He is remembered on the Memorial at Halifax Town Hall Books of Remembrance, and on the Memorial at Saint Mary the Virgin, Illingworth

1901 Illingworth St Mary Halifax Yorkshire.
RG13 Piec: 4139 Folio 21 Page 4

Sam Drake   44 Sara Hannah Drake 42
Clara Drake   15
John Willie Drake 14

FIND A GRAVE

St Mary's Churchyard Illingworth, Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, West Yorkshire.
Plot: Special memorial plaque on Church wall

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=157225151&ref=acom

Sister Clara Drake doesn't seem to have married and passed away The grove Saville Park Road Halifax 1 st June 1966 - probate was granted to Harold Skelton a retired butcher.  £5213

Sandra

I have made contact with a couple of people who have an ancestry tree for the above gentleman - hope they can help CWGC honour this gentleman.

[*Sandra*]

Pleased to say a relative is going to make contact with CWGC

Sandra 

Added - The CWGC has plans to honour the men as war dead as when they died, either from injury or illness sustained during active service, the CWGC was not informed by authorities of their death.
It’s always lovely for CWGC to give a CWGC headstone to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and to make sure they are never forgotten. They would love to be able to find family members to share this with.

Direct relatives have been asked to contact the CWGC by emailing enquiries@cwgc.org, with your name and details of relationship