Henry Atack

War Service

Initially Harry joined the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in August 1914. Possibly because Harry worked in the mine he may not have had to leave his wife and young family immediately after enlisting. However, sometime later, Harry was transferred to the Royal Engineers, Railway Operating Division.
The Railway Operating Division of the Royal Engineers was raised in April and deployed in France during June 1915. Regrettably Sapper H Atack’s service record is no longer available.
The five years of war took a heavy toll on Harry’s health. He died on 14 January 1919 aged 29 years.
Officially Harry’s recorded cause of death was pneumonia. At that time, the world was suffering a pandemic with the so-called Spanish flu. His grave is in the town cemetery at Dunkirk, France.
Harry’s (Henry) wife Rose was then living at 4, Hay’s Buildings, Altofts with their two young children, both under 6 years old, when the news of Harry’s death came. They had been married for almost 7 years and for the most part of that time Harry (Henry) was away from Altofts serving King and Country.

Family Life

Henry was born in Fairburn in about 1890. Henry’s father, Silvester, was also born in Altofts but his mother, Mary, was a native of Castleford.
In 1901 the family lived at 76, Church Road, Altofts. Henry’s father was a colliery winding engineman. He may have worked at a number of local collieries. Henry’s elder siblings were born around the area: George in Fairburn, Frederick in Sharlston, Edith in Featherstone, Edmund in Ossett, Samuel in Newton and his younger sister Florence in Altofts.
In 1911 Henry, also known as Harry, was 21 years old and living with his brother and his brother’s wife at 44, Park View, Normanton. On the 27 May 1912 Harry married Rose Alma Durant at Saint Philip Parish Church Whitwood. At the time of their marriage Harry was a “miner” living at Church Road, Altofts.
In 1913 their daughter Alma M Atack was born, followed a year later by their son Lawrence E Atack in 1914.