Signaller William Robertshaw Lightowler, Tyneside Z/10771, H.M.S. "Vivid", R.N.V.R.

William Robertshaw Lightowler was born on the 1st June 1889. His father was Luther Lightowler and his mother Elizabeth Lightowler (nee Robertshaw). He was baptised at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Allerton, Bradford on the 21st July 1889.

In 1911, the Census shows William R. Lightowler (21), Born Manningham, Bradford, Occupation Clerk, living with his father Luther (50), Occupation Shop Keeper Grocer and his sisters Ida (19) and Hilda (17) at 228, Sticker Lane, Bradford.

Information from Service Records identify that William Robertshaw Lightowler, Occupation Manager Netting Fact., enlisted on the 26/6/1916 (R.N.V.R. Division Tyneside No Z10771).

Period of Engagements: Victory IV Ord. Seaman from 20th Feb. 1917 to 3rd June 1917 Pembroke I Ord. Seaman from 4th June 1917 Pembroke I Sig. from 12th July 1917 to 30th Sept 1917 Vivid III Sig. from 1st Oct. 1917 to 27th September 1918.

Died 27th September 1918 - Pneumonia - Royal Infirmary Liverpool.

Additional Information: The Tyneside R.N.V.R. was part of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve. One of six regional divisions whose aim was to provide naval manpower during the First World War. Victory IV was a R.N. vessel, part of the R.N.V.R., it served various roles during the First World War which included being used as a training depot. Pembroke I was a Royal Navy shore-based accounting and training establishment at Chatham. HMS Vivid, was the name of the naval barracks at Plymouth. Vivid III was an Accounting Section at Devonport. Established in September 1917. During WW1 Naval Accounting bases were used to manage personnel and finances.

Signaller William Robertshaw Lightowler, Tyneside Z/10771, Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve H.M.S. “Vivid” who died on the 27th September 1918 at the age of 29 years, is buried in Bowling Cemetery, Bradford, West Yorks (Grave Reference E. 896).

C.W.G.C. Information: Son of Luther Lightowler, of 228, Sticker Lane, Bradford.

As the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s ‘Eyes On Hands On’ volunteer with responsibility for Bradford (Bowling) Cemetery I was always interested in the ‘stories’ of the WW1 soldiers whose headstones I looked after. Having been born and brought up in the nearby area, many of the names I came across seemed familiar to my childhood and I was interested to know more about who they were. The C.W.G.C. ‘For Evermore’ online archive gives me the opportunity to share my research into their lives.

We Will Remember Them...

• Ancestry U.K.

• The British Newspaper Archives

• C.W.G.C.

• Wikipedia

• David Whithorn