Biography – Corporal Elias Wagstaff

Family situation

• Elias was born in Hanley and had an older brother and sister.
• He was living on Betley Common in the 1911 census, with his wife Elsie and baby boy, and an older couple called Henshall
• Elias and Elsie had another child later.
• Elsie, living at Walrose Farm Betley, received official news of his death from wounds on 29^th October 1917. He would have been about 27 years old
• News report says he was a well-known member of football clubs at Madeley Heath and Wrinehill.

Employment

• Lycett Colliery as a Coal Miner/Loader – below ground

Service

• He enlisted at Crewe as a Bombardier in the Royal Horse Artillery & Royal Field Artillery,
• He was Acting Corporal in 31^st Howitzer Battery of the Royal Field Artillery when he died.
• He possibly took part in the battle of Paschendale, which was fought from July – November 1917. Paschendale was eventually captured with a cost of 270,000 killed and wounded during the wettest autumn on record.

Buried

• Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium Grave No. XXI.B.B.12A