BORN WOODHOUSE, LEEDS 1898. SON OF WILLIAM HENRY & LUCY MARY DRIFFILL, OF 1, ERNEST VILLAS, CROWLE STREET, HEDON ROAD (1911 CENSUS) & 30, ALEXANDRA STREET, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). SON OF A PLASTERER. HE LEFT SISTER, FRANCES, AND BROTHERS, LAWRENCE AND WILLIAM. HE WAS A BREWERS LABOURER. HE HAD TRIED TO JOIN THE ROYAL NAVY, BUT WAS REJECTED DUE TO BAD TEETH.
HE ENLISTED IN HULL, ON 21/05/1914, AGED 17 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS. DESCRIBED AS 5 FOOT, 4.5 INCHES TALL, 34 INCH CHEST, GOOD VISION AND GOOD PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. EX PRIVATE, 1871, 4TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT TERRITORIALS. SERVED WITH THE 2ND SOUTH WALES BORDERS. KILLED ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME, 1ST JULY 1916, AGED 18. COMMMEORATED ON THE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.
NOTE: HIS SURNAME IS SPELT DRIFFIELD IN “SOLDIERS DIED” RECORDS, AND DRIFFILL IN “CWGC” RECORDS.
