Andrew Haigh

Private. 31707. 12th Battalion. Durham Light Infantry.

Born: 1881 in Golcar.

Son of Elizabeth and the late John of Lower Gate Wellhouse, Golcar. Brother of John W, Agnes, Hannah, Herbert, Mary and Benjamin.

Married to Elizabeth.

Died of wounds on Monday 31st December 1917. Aged 36. Buried at Wellhouse Methodist Chapel Graveyard. North G. 7.

Andrew was admitted to hospital suffering from gunshot wounds to his neck and spent two weeks in August 1917 in hospital in Canterbury. He appears to have been transferred to the Abram Peel Hospital in Bradford on 26th August and also spent time in Huddersfield War Hospital at Royds Hall. His injuries occurred during action in the trenches where he was hit in the neck by shrapnel. He had been sent back to England with a convoy of wounded and was eventually operated on in the Lord Derby Military Hospital in Warrington where they attempted to remove the shrapnel, but unfortunately it could not be accomplished. He died there of acute endocarditis and heart failure.

His funeral took place at Wellhouse Chapel on Friday 4th January 1918, officiated by Rev. G.W. Stacey. Several members of the local Volunteers acted as bearers, and shots were fired over the grave by a firing party from Halifax.

His name appears on the Roll of Honour in St. John's Church, Golcar, and the Memorial in Wellhouse Chapel Yard.