BORN HULL 1893. SON OF WILLIAM DIGLIN (1853-1912) & ELIZABETH ANN DIGLIN (1851-1933), OF 13, HIGH STREET, HULL, (1901 CENSUS), 4, CROFTON AVENUE, EGTON STREET, HULL (ARMY ADDRESS), AND 7, NORTHFIELD VILLAS, ROSMEAD STREET, NEW BRIDGE ROAD, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS). SON OF A BARGE LIGHTERMAN. ONE OF EIGHT CHILDREN. HE HAD FOUR BROTHERS AND THREE SISTERS. EMPLOYED AS A WAREHOUSEMAN. A SINGLE MAN. DESCRIBED AS 5 FOOT, 6 INCHES TALL, 137 LBS WEIGHT, 36-38 INCH CHEST, SCAR ON RIGHT WRIST.
HE ENLISTED AT HULL, ON 19/11/1914. TRAINED AT BEVERLEY AND RIPON CAMPS. SERVED WITH THE 13TH EYR (HULL PALS) IN EGYPT AND FRANCE. WOUNDED ON 01/09/1916. RETURNED TO DUTY. KILLED IN ACTION, AT SERRE, ON 13/11/1916, AGED 23. HE HAD SERVED IN THE ARMY FOR 1 YEAR AND 360 DAYS. IS COMMEMORATED ON THE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, SOMME, FRANCE. HIS NAME IS RECORDED ON ST MARY’S CHURCH, LOWGATE MEMORIAL. HIS ARMY EFFECTS AND WAR PENSION WENT TO HIS WIDOWED MOTHER.
HE WAS ONE OF THREE BROTHERS WHO DIED IN THE WAR. A FOURTH BROTHER PTE, ERNEST DIGLIN, 624, 6TH KRRC, WAS WOUNDED AND DISCHARGED FROM THE SERVICE ON 23/10/1916, WITH THE SILVER WAR BADGE. THE BROTHER’S PHOTOGRAPHS APPEAR IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL ON 15/08/1917. *
The three Diglin brothers who died were George, 13/505, 13th East Yorkshire Regiment, killed, 13/11/1916, Walter Diglin, 203195, York and Lancaster Regiment Service, killed on, 24/07/1917 and William Diglin, 3/33418, 7th East Yorkshire Regiment, killed on 25/04/1917. George and Walter’s service records still exist and can be viewed on Ancestry or Find My Past. There was also a fourth brother who served – Ernest Diglin, Y624, 6th Kings Royal Rifle Corps, discharged from the service because of wounds he received in action. He was discharged 23/10/1916 and awarded the Silver War Badge. His service record still exists.
