Teesside war hero who died at the Somme honoured

A commemorative paving stone has been unveiled honouring the life of Eston War Hero Private William Henry Short VC, who died in the Battle of the Somme.

The commemoration took place at the Remembrance Cross in Eston Cemetery on Normanby Road with the Mayor doing a reading from the Bible as part of the ceremony.

Born in 1885 in Eston, Private Short joined the Green Howards, Yorkshire Regiment in 1914 after more than ten years working for the Bolckow, Vaughan & Co Steelworks and travelled to France in 1915.

He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his outstanding bravery at Munster Alley, a key area in the Battle of the Somme, where even with a serious foot injury he still primed Mills bombs for soldiers in 'B' Company until he succumbed to his injuries.

At Saturday's commemoration, 100 years on from his death, a representative from the Yorkshire Regiment read the letter sent to William's father James informing him of his son's death.