2nd Lieutenant, 13th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, attached 16th Battalion.
Killed in action 1st July 1916, age approx. 20.
Remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
Student of electrical engineering.
Eric was born at Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire in 1896, the son of W.H. (an Engine Waste Dealer) and Emma Tweedale. He entered Manchester University in 1913 to study electrical engineering.
Eric joined the University Officer Training Corps and when war broke out was still at University. He enlisted in May 1915 and was commissioned in the 13th (Reserve) Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment. He was attached to the 16th (1st Bradford Pals) Battalion shortly before they departed for Egypt to defend the Suez Canal in late 1915, and was still with the battalion when it was recalled to France in March 1916 to train for the Somme offensive as part of the 31st (New Army) Division. A Division formed predominantly from Pals units from Lancashire and Yorkshire, their role on the opening day of the battle was to capture the village of Serre. The Battalion had spent 18 months in training and they were highly motivated, but lacked combat experience. This unfortunately told when it was found that the smoke screen that was the battalion’s cover had been fired early giving the Germans warning of the attack. The men didn’t go behind the screen, but waited to go at their planned time even though the screen had cleared and the Germans were now warned. Eric led his men over the top at 07.30 on 1st July 1916 into this hornets nest and was killed within yards of the British line.