Manchester Regiment, 1/5 Battalion, Service no. 58287.
Born: 18th December 1898. Died: 1973.
Story
Fenton was the son of Charles Rhodes (1876-1951) and Annie Elizabeth Atkinson (1875-1945), and the family lived on Mount Pleasant before the War. Fenton joined the Army on 25th April 1918, and served in France, initially with the Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment.
Fenton did fall foul of army discipline on several occasions; the first time was on 15th September 1918 when he was confined to Barracks for 3 days for having dirty army equipment. On 8th October 1918, Fenton was docked 10 days’ pay for overstaying his leave. He transferred over to the Manchester Regiment on 8th October 1918, and on 25th November 1918, he was confined to Barracks for 3 days for disobedience and being improperly dressed. On 7th December 1918, Fenton was hospitalised with influenza.
After leaving the army, Fenton married Gladys Goodall (pictured below) in Kippax on 19th June 1919. Gladys’ brother, Edgar Goodall, also served during the First World War. By 1939, they were living at 15 Ramsden Drive, having had two sons: Squire in 1919 and Fenton in 1923. William’s father-in-law, Squire Goodall, was also staying with them. Squire was a rescuer at the Peckfield Colliery disaster of 1896. Fenton had continued working as a coal miner after the War, and passed away at the age of 74.
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