Private. 18th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers. Regimental number 16038
Early life:
Michael’s parents were Hugh Kelleher and Margaret Kelleher née Riley, who had been married at Leeds in 1887. Michael was born at Leeds in 1888 and registered there in the third quarter of the year.
In the 1891 census he was aged two years and living at 3, Atlas Street in the East Ward of the city.
They were boarding with 56 year old widower William Riley, Margaret’s father. Hugh aged 29 was a general labourer and Margaret aged 30, was a furrier. As well as Michael they now had a daughter Mary aged six months.
By the time of the 1901 census they had moved to 36, Bank Farm Street. Hugh was now 39 and a warehouseman and Margaret was 40. Their children were Michael aged twelve, Mary aged ten, William aged eight, Thaddeus aged six, Elizabeth aged three and Hugh aged one. Also living with them was Margaret’s widowed father William Riley aged 66.
In the 1911 census they had moved quite a long way from Leeds to Oakworth, where they were living at numbers 2 and 4 Bridge House at Lane Ends. Hugh and Margaret had been married for 24 years and had nine children, one of whom had since died. Hugh was 49 and a wool combing machine minder as was their eldest son Michael, now aged 22. His siblings were Mary Ann aged 20 and a Rover; William aged 18 was a soap boiler; Thaddeus aged 16 was a worsted spinner; Elizabeth aged 13, Hugh aged eleven, Bernard aged nine, Hannora Catherine aged six and granddaughter Mary aged ten months. Also living with them was Lily Wood, a 21 year old weaver.
Michael Ambrose Kelleher and Lily (Stockdale) Wood married later that year, registered in Keighley in the second quarter of the year. Lily (Stockdale) Wood already had a daughter Ethel who was born at Leeds in 1910 and she may have been Michael’s daughter before their marriage. Ethel was not present in the 1911 census with Lily.
Michael and Lily had a son called William who was born at Oakworth on 2nd March 1912.
In 1913, Michael was registered in the electoral roll living at 19 Mill Lane, having previously been registered at 41, Oakworth Hall.
They had a daughter, Margaret born at Keighley on 8th April 1914.
War service:
From a calculation of his rank and the war gratuity payment, we suggest Michael enlisted at Keighley sometime around January 1915. He went out to France in 1916, possibly with the 18th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers which embarked at Southampton at 7 pm on 29th January and arrived at Havre the next day. He was serving with them when he was wounded in action on 24th August and evacuated about 15 miles to the West, South West to either Number 5 or Number 21 Casualty Clearing Stations which were based near Corbie. Sadly, Michael died of his wounds at 11.45 pm that night.
Most of the places mentioned in the war diary below can be viewed in the top left quarter of the trench map here: Map 62C.NW. published 1916 – National Library of Scotland.
WO-95/2484/2. War Diary.
18th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers.
CASEMENT TRENCH.
20th August:
Resting and Improving Trench.
CASEMENT TRENCH.
21st August:
Received orders 10 A.M. to relieve 20th LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS in trenches S. E. ARROW HEAD COPSE. Y Company Paraded at 8-30 pm., followed by X, Z and W at 10 minutes interval.
IN TRENCHES.
22nd August:
Relief completed 1 a.m. X and Y Companies in front line. W and Z in support. Patrols sent out from X and Y Companies report German trenches at distance of from 100 to 200 yards are held.
Received orders 4 pm to hand over trenches to 15th NOTTS & DERBIES and to relive 23rd MANCHESTERS and the French in trenches N.W. of ANGLE WOOD.
16th NOTTS & DERBIES completed relief at 12 midnight.
Relief of 23rd MANCHESTERS and FRENCH completed 6 A.M. 23/8/16. Quiet day.
Casualties NCO’s and men. 2 killed 15 wounded.
Battalion Headquarters at bottom MALTZ HORN TRENCH
IN TRENCHES.
23rd August:
Relief of 23rd MANCHESTERS and FRENCH completed 6 A.M.
Battalion Headquarters remain as before, Z and X Companies in front line. W and Y in support.
Z Company has 3 posts of 1 corporal and three men each, 50 yards to his front.
Receive orders 3 pm. to dig new trenches in front and to relieve 1 Company of LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS in trench 8.E.4. Z Company trench.
From reports of previous battalions patrols consider Germans to be at least 200 yards away.
Heavy bombardment of front & support lines commences 8.30 pm, lasting until 10 pm. Started working party on trench running East of GORDON TRENCH at 11 pm. Obliged to withdraw them at 11.30 pm., owing to shelling again increasing. Started working again at 1.30 am 24/8/16, and dug trench 110 yards long, depth varying 1 to 4 foot, running South East from GORDON TRENCH. Casualties NCO’s and men 7 killed, 20 wounded. 1 remained at duty.
IN TRENCHES.
24th August:
Relief of 1 Company 17th LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS completed by W Company at 5 am. Intense bombardment of German trenches by our own & French artillery commences 4 pm. French attack from sunken road North West of MAUREPAS commencing 5.45 pm. This attack was in full view of all our companies. French advanced in two lines extended with 3rd line in small groups of about ten men in single file, when French reached German trenches running from OAKHANGAR WOOD from South side. French appeared to suffer very few casualties, but heavy German shelling was observed on captured trenches after French occupation. Germans also shelled our own front line trenches, especially W and Z Companies while French attack was in progress. Heavy High explosive shells being employed.
Received orders 2 pm. that we should be relieved by 23rd MANCHESTERS and should proceed to BILLON COPSE on relief. Shelling of all our trenches commenced 7 pm and continued while relief was being carried out.
Casualties. Officers Lt. G.C. McLaughlin, 2 Lt. R W Briggs and Warrant Officer Ruston wounded. NCO’s and men, 7 killed, 38 wounded, 9 remained at duty & 2nd Lt. W.O. Rushton.
BILLON COPSE.
25th August:
Relief completed 5 am. March by Companies to BILLON COPSE, last company arrives 7 am.
Received orders 9 pm that Brigade to be relieved by 13th Brigade, 5 Division, and Battalion to march to CITADEL 2 pm. 16th August 1916.
The Keighley News Saturday 16th September, 1916, page 3:
KEIGHLEY. TWO PALS” KILLED.
Official news has been received that Private Michael A. Kelleher (27) Lancashire Fusiliers, of 19, Woodhouse Road, Keighley, died on August 25 from wounds received in action. The first intimation was received from Sister Tewan, of a casualty clearing station in France; who, writing on August 25, said: “I so much regret to tell you that Private Kelleher died here yesterday evening at 11.45 p.m. Everything at could be done was done, and he received every care and attention. His death was very peaceful.”
Second Lieutenant H. H. B. Jones, his officer, writing to Mrs Kelleher, said: “I regret to state that your husband has died of wounds received on active service. He was asleep when he was wounded by piece of shell, and although in great pain he went away cheerful, but the shock was too great, and he died a day later. Words cannot express my sorrow for the loss you have sustained. He was a very useful man and the fellows are much bereaved by his death.”
Before enlistment he was employed as a moulder by Messrs Jonas Wells & Co., Greengate, Keighley. He was a native of Leeds, but came to Keighley about seven years ago. He enlisted in the early stage of the war along with Private James McVay, another Keighley soldier, whose death was announced last week, and they were together during their training and later in the trenches, and it is singular that Private McVay was killed within twenty-four hours of his comrade’s death. Both were known in Keighley and highly respected.
His body was buried in grave 87 of row B in plot 2 of the Corbie Communal Cemetery Extension. This cemetery is about nine miles to the East of Amiens in the Somme region of France.
Post war:
Michael’s widow Lily was his next of kin and she received his outstanding Army pay of £4 12s. 8d on 30th November 1916. She later received a war gratuity payment of £7 on 16th September 1919.
Lily also received a Dependant’s pension of 20 shillings and 6 pence per week for herself and their three children Ethel, William and Margaret. Margaret would received hers for the rest of her life but the children’s elements ended on their 16th birthdays.
At that time they were living at 19, Woodhouse Road in Keighley.
Lily would have received any of Michael’s personal effects and his medals, a bronze war memorial plaque and a scroll inscribed with his name. His medals were the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
In the 1921 census Lily Kelleher aged 31 and a tape weaver for Hattersley’s Tape Weavers at Walk Mill in Keighley, was living at 5, Woodhouse Road, Keighley with her 73 year old mother Eliza Stockdale and children Ethel Wood aged eleven, William Kelleher aged nine and Margaret Kelleher aged seven.
Also living here at the time of the census were her brother Matthew Wood aged 36 and his wife Alice aged 34 plus their children Hilda aged twelve, Matthew aged ten and George aged seven.
Living quite close to Lily were Michael’s parents Hugh and Margaret and their family, who were just along the road at 15, Woodhouse Road, Keighley.
In the 1939 register Lily and her daughter Margaret were living at 14, Beech Grove in Keighley. Lily was 49 and a worsted winder and Margaret was aged 25 and a worsted spinner.
Lily died at the age of 81 in 1972, registered in the Worth Valley.
Note: Michael and Lily’s son William was killed in the Second World War. He is named on the WW2 bronze panel in Keighley Library foyer.
Remembrance:
Michael is named in the Borough of Keighley roll of honour book in Keighley Library.
He is also named on the St Anne’s Roman Catholic Church war memorial on North Street in Keighley.
His name is also on the Oakworth Great War Centenary roll of honour, of display at Oakworth Community Hall.
Information sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915
England & Wales, Free BMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
1891 England Census
1901 England Census
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
England & Wales, Free BMD Marriage Index, 1837-1915
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915
1911 England Census
West Yorkshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1962
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library.
National Library of Scotland mapping service.
The Long, Long Trail website by Chris Baker.
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
World War I Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
Find a Grave.com
1921 England Census
1939 England and Wales Register
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
Borough of Keighley roll of honour book in Keighley Library.
St Anne’s Roman Catholic Church war memorial.
