William Henry's Story.
EARLY LIFE
William Henry Dean was born in 1890, the fifth son of Ellen and John Dean, a stone breaker, of 18 Pool Street, Macclesfield. In 1891, William was living at that address with his parents and older brothers Nathan (8), John (7), Peter (4) and Joseph (3). Ten years later in 1901, the family was at 17 Pool Street, next door to the home of Alfred Leonard.
In 1911, William was serving in India with the 1st Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.
WW1 SERVICE
William attested at Macclesfield and was drafted to France on 15th January 1915. He died of wounds at the Second Battle of Ypres on 7th May 1915, aged 24 years. The death of L/Cpl William Dean was reported in the Macclesfield Times on 11th June 1915:
SERGEANT W H DEAN - On Sunday morning the relatives of Sergt W H Dean, of the King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, who lives at 65 Mill Lane, Macclesfield, received a War office notification stating that he had been killed in action on May 7th.
Sergeant Dean had served five years in India, and went to the front in January. After being there about a month he was sent to hospital suffering from frostbite. On recovering, he returned to the front and met his death as stated. His cousin, Private Peter Dean, has also been killed at the front.
COMMEMORATION
L/Cpl William Dean has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel ref. 12 on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium.
In Macclesfield, L/Cpl William Dean is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall and Park Street Methodist Church war memorials.
The floral tributes laid when the Macclesfield Park Green War Memorial was unveiled on 21st September 1921 included one with the inscription: "In loving remembrance of W. H. Dean, from his mother and brothers".
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.