Henry TRIMBLE Private 14570, 15 th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Died 16 th September 1916. Census records refer to the family as "Tremble", but the army records give the name as "Trimble". Henry Trimble was one of eight surviving children born to John and Mary Ann Tremble living at Langley Moor, having moved there from Crook via Coxhoe. John worked as a coal hewer, and his eldest son Henry, aged only 15 years, also worked in the mines as a driver, leading a pit pony hauling loaded tubs through the tunnels of the mine. The family moved again, and by 1914 was living at Victoria Row, Howden-le-Wear Following the declaration of war in 1914, on 7 th September, young Henry Tremble, aged 18 years, enlisted at Bishop Auckland, although he declared his age as 19 years,. He joined the newly formed 15 th (Service) Battalion as part of the Third New Army, and then joined the 6 th Brigade of the 21 st Division on the 7 th January 1915. After a short 3 days’ home leave from 7 th to 10 th September, on 11 th September 1915, the battalion was mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne. They were soon engaged in various actions on the Western Front, and it was during one of these encounters that Henry was injured by a gun- shot wound to his left ankle. He recovered and, following further home leave, he rejoined his battalion on the 6 th April 1916. In the following weeks there was fierce fighting, with a major battle for every advance made, and it was during one of these attacks that Henry Trimble was killed on the 16 th September, 1916. His body was never recovered. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial and also on Howden-le-Wear War Memorial.

Remembering Our Fallen

Howden-le-Wear History Society

The certificate issued by the CWGC on its website for Private Henry Trimble remembering his name on the Thiepval Memorial. Image courtesy of www.cwgc.org