William Henry Newman , Private 123987

1900 Jul/Sep. Born Nottingham

1901 census 21, Fleet Place, Nottingham

1911 census living at 16 Thoresby St Nottingham

1920 Feb 29. 51st Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment. Died age 19, as a result of bullet wounds to the neck received when he with four of his comrades were ambushed at Rushbrooke Queenstown County Cork. He was the Son of Alfred Newman, of 6 Arrow Terrace, Fisher Gate, Nottingham

• They were escorting gelignite from Rocky Island to Rushbroke Dockyard for blasting
• When ambushed by armed and masked men theiy had their rifles at the slope and were taken by surprise
• The soldiers were ordered at gunpoint to march up the hill away from the road
• Newman apparently ran for it, and was shot in the neck
• The other soldiers were then disarmed
• Newman was due to be demobilised the following week

The Witness Statement 1444 by Jack O'Connell says that he "lay in wait at Burker's Hill on the Western outskirts of Cobh with about 6 or 8 lads from the Cobh company. We were armed with revolvers. At about noon a Corporal and three soldiers came along on foot. We rushed them from our hiding place. I disarmed the Corporal. Two of the Privates were also disarmed. One of the soldiers tried to run away. And was shot and killed by one of our lads. His rifle was also taken. We got off the road quickly and his the captured rifles. "

His body was returned to Nottingham for burial

The inquest reached their verdict:-

l

British Soldiers died in Ireland