BORN HULL 1896. SON OF JOHN ROBERT WEST (1863-1910) & SARAH ELIZABETH WEST (1862-1909), OF 20 YORK STREET, HULL (1901 CENSUS). HE HAD THREE BROTHERS AND FIVE SISTERS. HIS SISTER, MRS EMMA MARTIN, LIVED AT NOS 3 & 15 BRIGHTON TERRACE, CUMBERLAND STREET, HULL. HE WORKED AS AN OIL MILL LABOURER. DECRIBED AS 5 FOOT, 5 INCHES TALL, 128 LBS WEIGHT, 34-35.5 INCH CHEST SIZE, FRESH COMPLEXION, HAZEL EYES, DARK BROWN HAIR.
HE ENLISTED IN HULL, ON 03/09/1914, AGED 19 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS. HE TRAINED AT OTLEY ARMY CAMP. POSTED TO FRANCE, ON 14/07/1915. WOUNDED BY GUN SHOT TO RIGHT LEG, IN ACTION, ON 15/02/1916. RETURNED TO DUTY AND WOUNDED IN THE LEFT LEG, ON 08/07/1916. INVALIDED TO ENGLAND ON 10/07/1916. TRIED FOR ABSENCE ON 18/12/1916 AND SENTENCED TO 112 DAYS DETENTION. HE WAS RE-ADMITTED TO DUTY AND SENT TO FRANCE. SERVED IN THE 8TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT. KILLED IN ACTION, ON 09/04/1917, AGED 21. HE HAD SERVED FOR 2 YEARS AND 219 DAYS. HIS ARMY EFFECTS AND MEDALS WERE LEFT TO HIS SISTER, EMMA AT 3 BRIGHTON TERRACE, CUMBERLAND STREET, HULL.
HIS BROTHER, RIFLEMAN, JOHN WILLIAM WEST, 7194, 2ND KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS, WAS A RGULAR SOLDIER, WHO ENLISTED AT BEVERLEY AND DIED OF WOUNDS, ON 23/10/1914, AGED 23. HE IS COMMEMORATED ON THE YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL TO THE MISSING.
