AboutSunderlandSoldiers is the place to look if you would like to find information on soldiers from the Sunderland area who where killed in the First World War ServiceI can supply details free of charge on Soldiers from the Sunderland area who were killed during the First World War, including solders from Seaham, Murton, Hetton, Houghton, Fatfield, Washington, East Bolton & Whitburn. I have details of the next of kin and their place of residence of many of those killed. I can also supply a jpeg in an email attachment of a "Death Penny" that includes the name of the soldier of your choice similar to the one that can be seen on the right. Please email me with as many details as you can find and I will email you back with the relevant details. It is possible to find a particular soldier if he has an uncommon name but if his name is relatively common, such as Smith, Thompson or Wilson I will need a little more information to find the person we are looking for. If you have the name of the soldiers regiment it would be a great help. If you still have the soldiers medals then around the rim of the medal you will find his name, number, rank and regiment. Thanks  Click On The Rollover Link Below For Information On Having Photographs Restored:  |   |
Roll over the picture link on the right to reveal the original image; then click on the image and you will be taken to a page where you can hear a sound recording of Arthur Clark a soldier from Tunstall in Sunderland reading the Parable of the Prodigal Son from the Bible (Luke chapter 15, verse 11 – 32). Both of Arthur’s parents originated in Seaham Harbour and Arthur was born in Sunderland on the 9th March 1882. Before the war he worked as a miner but when you get to the page with the sound recording you will find there is very little information on him. He could be anyone of a number of soldiers with the same name, the recording is said to have been made in 1917 when Arthur was 35 year old by Alois Brandl, a German professor of English studies, which would indicate that Athur Clark was a prisoner of war. People from outside of the North East are likely to find it difficult to understand and even many young people from the North East today are also likely to find it a little difficult to comprehend, so you might understand when listening to the recording why at times, especially during the Second World War that those with a North East accent often passed messages over the radio because the accent confused the enemy. <> As this Website grows I will be including information on some of the bravest people to serve in the British Armed Forces during the First World War, the Chaplains, or as they were known when I was in the army, the Charlies. In total there were less than 3500 of them but even so many of them were awarded top military awards, including three VCs and numerous other medals of distinction. But how could priests be awarded such medals? I am aware that readers might be asking themselves that very question because it is the first thing that people ask me when I speak to them about such. |  |
