15235 Private Amos Learoyd, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

Amos Learoyd was a cousin to my 2x great grandfather.

Amos Learoyd was born on the 23rd November 1890 in Stanley, Yorkshire. His parents were Emmanuel and Annie Learoyd.

Amos grew up in Lake Lock, Yorkshire in a large family - his parents had 13 children altogether. Amos followed his father and worked as a coal miner.

In 1910 Amos married Sarah Ann Bateman, sadly their first two children died as infants, Emannuel Learoyd 1910-1911 and Amos Learoyd 1912-1914. Their third child, Selina was born in 1913 and Sarah Ann was expecting another child when war broke out in 1914 (Phyllis Learoyd was born in December 1914).

We know that Amos volunteered for military service in late 1914/early 1915 and went overseas on 26/08/1915 to France. Sarah Ann was pregnant when he left as his youngest child, John William Learoyd, was born on 19th January 1916.

Amos served with the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and was killed on the 1st July 1916, the infamous first day of the Battle of the Somme.

The battalion diary shows that the 8th battalion was posted 'near Ovillers' which is Ovillers-la-Boisselle near Albert. The diary records that 25 officers, 1 medical officer, and 659 men entered the attack and at the end of the day only the medical officer and 110 men had reported back to the battalion. Some of these men were later recovered wounded but the diary records that for the whole month of July, for the 'other ranks' 13 were officially reported killed, 15 died of wounds, 356 were wounded and 314 were missing. Amos was one of these missing men as a note on the pension forms shows that he was 'presumed dead'.

Like many of the casualties from the 1st July 1916, Amos has no known grave, his name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial.

Amos's family received his medals - the British War Medal, Victory Medal, and the 1915 Star, and his wife received a widow's pension for her and their four children.