Trafford

Born during the September quarter 1894 in the St. Germans R.D. - ref:
5c/32, the eldest son of John & Blanche Amelia Bracegirdle (nee Cook).

1901 Census - Army Barracks, Whitchurch Road, Cardiff, St. John,
Glamorganshire.    Son - aged: 6 - born: Cawsand, Cornwall.   Head of
household - John Bracegirdle - Married - aged: 36 - occ: Sergeant, Royal
Artillery - born: Ashley, Cheshire.   Also - Blanche Bracegirlde - Wife -
aged: 35 - born: Devonport, Devon.   Plus 1 younger sister.

1911 Census - 135 Ashley Road, Hale.   Son - aged: 17 - occ: Working in a
Nursery - born: Rame, Cornwall.   Head of household - John Bracegirdle -
Married - aged: 45 - occ: Army Pensioner Carter - born: Lower Peover,
Cheshire.    Also - Blanche Amelia Bracegirlde - Wife - aged: 45 - born:
Devonport, Devon.   Plus 3 younger siblings and 2 lodgers.

Employed at Clibran's Nursery, Timperley.   He was a member of St. Peter's
P.C.  By 1917, his parents had moved to Barnshaw Cottage, Mobberley.

WO 363 - Enlisted at Altrincham on the 28th August 1914   He was 28 years
of age, being born at Boreston, Truro, Cornwall.  He was employed as a
Nurseryman and resided at 135 Ashley Road, Hale.   He was 6 feet 0 1/4
inches in height and weighed 145 lb.   His chest measurements were 34
inches to 36 1/2 inches expanded.  He had a Fresh complexion, Grey eyes and
Brown hair.  Qualified as an Observer and Plotter on the 5th August 1915.  
From No.2 Depot, Gosport, he was posted to 14 Seige Battery R.G.A. at
Gallipoli on the 14th October 1915.   Admitted to No.14 Casualty Clearing
Station on the 11th November suffering from Diarrhea, later admitted to the
1/3rd East Lancs Field Ambulance, then to the No.17 Stationery Hospital at
Cape Helles.   Transferred to Malta on the 13th aboard the Hospital Ship
H.S. "Dunnegan Castle" and into St. Andrew's Hospital, Malta on the 19th.  
Invalided back to England on the 3rd December 1915 suffering from Dysentery
aboard the H.S. "Regina d' Italia".

Promoted to the rank of Corporal on the 13th July 1916 and to Sergeant on
the 13th August 1916.

After recovering from his dysentery, he was drafted to the Somme front,
leaving England from Southampton on the 25th November 1916, arriving at
Havre the following day and into the 199th Battery, R.G.A..    He died in
No. 89 Field Ambulance of wounds he accidentally received caused by a
delayed action enemy fuse.    A Court of Inquiry into his accidental death
was convened for the 16th March 1917.

Commemorated on both the Hale & the Mobberley Cenotaphs.  Listed in the
Guardian Year Book - Roll of Honour for 1918, which states that he was late
of Hale.

CWGC - Son of John & Blanche Bracegirdle of Barnshaw Cottage, Mobberley.

Commemorated in The Mobberley Parish Council's Booklet - "1914-2014,
Remembering the Men from Mobberley who went to War for their Country" - per
Alistair MacLeod.