Private Matthew Winchester

Private Matthew Winchester, 1st/4th ( Territorial ) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action in France on 19th April 1917 during the Battle of Arras and is buried in Wancourt British Cemetery, Wancourt, Arras, France.  He had been born in Wooler and and was the husband of Daisy Winchester of Church Street, Wooler.  They had two sons Sefton and John. He had already seen service during the Boer War and was a member of the Battalion Signalling section. ( The ” Berwickshire Advertiser ” has his rank as Sergeant ). The photographs shows troops during the Battle. The colour photo shows the impressive Memorial raised to the 50th ( Northumbrian ) Division of which the battalion was part until July 1918 when it was reduced to cadre and assigned to lines of communication duties. It was erected near the village of Weiltje in the Ypres Salient where nearby the 26th April 1915 the Division had fought its first action of the War only days after landing on the Continent. The photos show Allied troops at Arras.