2nd LIEUTENANT BERNARD HUDSON SHAW, 13TH BATTALION CHESHIRE REGIMENT.


2nd LIEUTENANT BERNARD HUDSON SHAW, 13TH BATTALION CHESHIRE REGIMENT. KILLED IN ACTION 22ND JANUARY 1917, AGED 22


Bernard Hudson Shaw was the second son of George and Agnes Shaw and was born in the village of Thornthwaite in Cumberland. His father, a vicar, was a noted theologian and scholar who as a student was President of the Oxford Union. George Shaw had been a been a curate at St Margaret's Church when he met Agnes Hirst of Ilkley, the daughter of a well known Leeds silversmith. The two were married at St Margaret's in 1884 but did not remain long in Ilkley. The Shaw's moved around the country as George took up the living at parishes in Cumberland, Lincolnshire and Cheshire before eventually becoming the Rector of St Botolphs Church, Bishopgate in London.Young Bernard was educated at Uppingham School in Rutland and went on to study at the Victoria University in Manchester.



Gazetted as 2nd Lieutenant in the 13th Battalion Cheshire Regiment, on the 22nd January 1917 he was with them in the front line near to a position called Rifle House just north of Armentiers. At 1.40pm the battalion came under heavy German artillery fire which reached a crescendo at about 4pm when the enemy launched a major trench raid. The British lines were doused with gas as the Germans infiltrated the Cheshire's trench and the battalion reported many casualties. Eventually the German attack was repulsed but Bernard was found dead having succumbed to the effects of Mustard Gas.


Bernard Hudson Shaw was buried at Berks Extension Cemetery and is remembered on the memorials at Uppingham School, St Mary Alderley in Cheshire, the London Memorial and in St Botolphs Church. And also on our memorial here in Ilkley.




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