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& the War Service of her parents and siblings of 24, Westfield Street Ossett.
In the Beginning
In 2014 Ossett Librarian, Dorothy Wainwright, kindly shared with us a collection of press cuttings and photographs which included Ossett servicemen and women who played their part in WWI & WWII. Nora Ward (nurse) was one of those photographs.
Ten years later, in 2024, courtesy of Nora’s grandson Michael Kent, we discovered much more about the war service of Nora’s family.
In 2014 we had been unable to determine where Nora Ward undertook her nursing service during WW1. Indeed there was some uncertainty regarding whether our research of Nora was correct or whether it was the history of another woman of the same name.
What we believed in 2014 was that Nora Ward (nurse) was a resident of Ossett at the time of WW1. Our research only identified one woman of that name living in Ossett so we told that story in 2014 as it appears below. The passage of time confirmed our research to be more or less correct.
With slight amendment the paragraphs in blue which follow are as were written in Nora’s biography in 2014. Nora was the only daughter of Herbert & Edith Ward who also had five sons. The family lived at 24 Westfield Street, Ossett. In 2024 we have the pleasure of adding to this biography the history of the family’s WWI War Service which was researched and written by Nora’s grandson, Michael Kent. Sadly Nora passed away two years before Michael was born.
Nora was born in Ossett on 14th September 1890, the daughter of Herbert Ward, mungo manufacturer of South Ossett, and his wife Edith (nee Brown) who married at Ossett Holy Trinity Church on 14th December 1887 . Nora was baptised at the same church on 12th October 1890 and was to be the only girl of six surviving children born to the couple.
In 1891, aged 6 months, Nora was living with her parents and her 2 years old elder brother, George, at the Flying Horse Public House, Streetside. Nora’s father was a rag merchant and the Flying Horse was run by Nora’s grandmother and her step grandfather, George Spencer.
By 1901 Herbert and Edith, now with four children, George H. (born 1889), Norah (1890), Harry (1894) and Edgar (1898) had moved to Westfield Terrace. Herbert was in the rag trade, the son of Isaiah Ward, rag merchant of Prospect Road suggesting the family may have had some wealth.
Sadly Herbert Ward died in late Summer 1904 aged 40 leaving his wife Edith aged 41, pregnant with their 6th child, Donald, and 5 children aged between 1 and 15 yrs old. The fifth child, Sidney, was born in 1903. The couple had another child who died before 1911. Norah was the only girl of the six children. In 1911 widow Edith and her six children were living at their five roomed home at 24,Westfield Street Ossett and the two eldest boys were working in the rag trade. Norah had no occupation.
A biography of “Mrs Campbell” also appears elsewhere in this section of the website. Her Ossett address was 45 Westfield Street which is situated almost opposite Nora Ward’s home address at 24 Westfield Street. It is possible that the two knew each other and perhaps worked in the same hospital.
Army service records have not survived for any of Nora’s brothers who were of an age to serve in WW1 but it seems likely that they would have volunteered or been called up to serve.
On 10 August 1921 at The Congregational Church, The Green, Ossett, Nora Ward, aged 30, married Albert Edward Preston, aged 24, of Haverhill, Suffolk and a motor engineer. Both gave their address as 24 Westfield Street. Albert was called up and served between 1916-1919 when latterly he was declared unfit for service and transferred to hospital in Yorkshire. In Spring 1922 a girl, Joan, was born with the surname Preston to a mother whose maiden name was Ward. In Spring 1924 in similar circumstances a girl, Sheila, was born.
If any readers have any information about Nurse Nora Ward (married name Preston) of Westfield Street, Ossett, please help us to complete this tribute to Nora by contacting us.
Those were our final words back in 2014. In August 2023 we were fortunate to be contacted by Nora’s grandson, Michael Kent, who had researched and written his family history. He has kindly shared with us that part of his family history as it relates to Nora, her parents and siblings and we are pleased to record that history within this biography.
Below: A reference given to Albert Edward Preston by C. Wallis (vehicle dealer) in January 1924 for his three years of service. It did the trick and Albert Edward went on to work with Harpins of Wakefield in charge of their fleet of Rolls Royce vehicles. Photo courtesy of Michael Kent.
War Service the six children of Herbert and Edith Ward of 24, Westfield Street, Ossett.
Researched and written by Michael Kent, grandson of Nora Ward
Herbert Ward was one of the four sons of Isaiah Ward, Mungo Manufacturer of Prospect Road.
Soon after the First World War started in 1914, Nora Ward, aged 23, volunteered to be a V.A.D. nurse(V.A.D. standing for Voluntary Aid Detachment.). It was this decision that led to her marrying one of her patients. A surviving postcard addressed to her shows that she was at Luke’s Hospital, Bradford in May 1918. This postcard is of Stoke Poges Golf Club and has a very short message with an unclear signature so was possibly from a friend she met while nursing who had been transferred elsewhere.
Nora’s future husband, Albert Edward Preston, was discharged from St Luke’s, Bradford in June 1919. The following photograph of Nora was discovered in Ossett Library.
Nora suffered from angina for most of her life and died aged only 53 at her home in Oulton on 6th February, 1945. Her heart had finally succumbed. Her daughters Joan and Sheila served during World War Two, Joan in the WRNS and Sheila in the WAAFs.
Nora’s older brother, George Herbert Ward, (known as Bert) joined the 2/5th Battalion, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in 1916 aged 27 (service number 242093) and was discharged from the 5th Reserve Battalion in September 1919 aged 30.
He volunteered at Ossett on 16th February 1916 under the Derby Scheme, whereby men promised to serve when needed but were not recruited immediately He was mobilised and his medical conducted on 23rd March,1916 at Pontefract with his age given as 27 years and three months. He was only 5 feet 4½ inches tall and weighed 130 lbs. At this time, he was still single and living with his mother at 24 Westfield Street. He gave his occupation as Commercial Traveller (in Rags).
He married Marion Pollard (born 5th December, 1891) on 31st May, 1916 at Ossett according to Bert’s war record. She was living at Headland Lane, Ossett..
The 2/5th Battalion Territorial Force had been formed at Doncaster on 10th September, 1914. During March 1915 they moved to Bulwell near Nottingham as part of the 187th Brigade of the 62nd Division and then moved to Strensall and then to Beverley and then Gateshead. In January 1 they moved to Larkhill, Salisbury Plain and then to Flixton Park, Bungay. During October 1916 they moved to Wellingborough.
Bert was promoted to Lance Corporal on 5th July, 1916, presumably upon the completion of his Basic Infantry Training.
Bert embarked with the Battalion at Southampton on 13th January 1917 and they arrived at Le Havre on 14th. On 15th January, 1917 they were mobilised for war and engaged in various actions on the Western Front including;
The Operations on the Ancre, The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The first attack on Bullecourt, The German attack on Lagnicourt, The Battle of Bullecourt, The actions on the Hindenburg Line, The Cambrai Operations.
Bert was promoted to full Corporal on 14th March, 1917 and appointed Lance Sergeant on 21st April 1917. These promotions took place “in the field”.
On 3rd May, 1917, Bert was wounded in action. He had received a gunshot wound (GSW) to his left arm, was transferred to a dressing station on 4th May and then to a hospital at Rouen on 5th May.
He returned home to his wife on 16th May, travelling across the channel on the St. David. He remained in the UK until 27th July.
He returned to France, sailing from Folkstone to Boulogne on 28th July 1917 and arrived at Etaples on 29th July. He was posted to the 1/4th battalion of the K.O.Y.L.I. as part of the 32nd Infantry Division.
On 14th August, 1917 he was posted back to his old battalion, the 2/5th in “the field”. That would be back to the trenches.
He was issued with two blue (overseas service) chevrons to confirm his two full years of service in France on 20th July 1918.
Bert was promoted to full Sergeant on the 12th August, 1918.
During 1918 the 2/5th K.O.Y.L.I. took part in The Battle of Bapaume, The First Battle of Arras, The Battle of the Tardenois, The Battle of the Scarpe, The Battle of the Drocourt-Queant Line, The Battle of Havrincourt, The Battle of the Canal du Nord, The Battle of the Selle, The capture of Solesmes, The Battle of the Sambre.
On 02.02.1918 they were absorbed by the 1/5th Battalion. Operations on the Flanders Coast (Hush), the Battle of Poel Capelle
During 1918 they took part in The Battle of Estaires, The Battle of Messines, The Battle of Bailleul, The First Battle of Kemmel Ridge, The Second Battle of Kemmel Ridge, The Battle of the Scherpenberg, The pursuit to the Selle, The Battle of the Selle, The Battle of Valenciennes.11.11.1918
They ended the war at Leforest north of Douai, France.
Bert remained in France until 9th October, 1919 after being “Retained in the Army of Occupation”. He made a declaration on 29th August 1919 that he did not intend to claim any compensation for disability. So his wound had healed fully and he does not have appeared to have suffered from any other health problems.
His address in the UK was stated to be 7 Headlands Lane, Ossett. Bert Ward was very lucky to have survived the Great War.
Although he was not allowed to return to the UK until 9th October 1919, he was in fact released earlier than some other men because he had volunteered under the Derby Scheme.
Bert received this certificate.
Bert & Marion’s only child was a boy they named Ronald, who was born on 18th July, 1920.
George Herbert Ward died on 22nd March, 1954.
Harry Ward (just 20 when the war started) probably served in the forces in some way but his name is rather too common to locate with any accuracy and these records might not be available since many were destroyed by bombing during the Second World War. Edgar Ward (16 in 1914) might have been called up towards the end of the war but no records for his service seem to be available. Sidney and Donald would have been too young.
It is also possible that Harry’s work was regarded as a Reserve Occupation since Mungo would have been in demand for military uniforms and blankets, these being its main uses in peacetime as well as wartime. The same thing might have been true for Edgar.
Harry Ward died only a short time after his brother on 20th May, 1954.
One of their male cousins, Ernest Ward joined the Royal Flying Corps on 5th January 1917. When he was aged 32 years and eight months. He was the son of Isaiah Ward’s son, George.
When he signed up he described his employment as Forman Overlooker in a Rag Shop. He was five feet, eight inches tall. He was transferred to the RAF on 1st April, 1918, this being the day the RAF was created. He appears to have been a general labourer at the airfield. His service number was 53257.
He suffered burns to his face on 28th March 1919 and was transferred to No 4 Stationary Hospital at Longuenesse and then to a sister hospital at Arques on 9th April 1919. He was transferred to the RAF Reserve on 3rd September, 1919 and received a medical discharge on 30th April, 1920. Ernest died on 10th July, 1937.
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This wasn’t to be the end of this family’s service to their Country when it was in its greatest need. Albert Edward Preston and his wife, Nora (nee Ward), had two daughters, Joan (born 1922) and Sheila (born 1924) who served during WWII; Joan in the WRNS ( Women’s Royal Navy Service) and Sheila in the WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force). Joan was posted to London, married and had a child, Michael Kent, to whom we shall be forever grateful. Thanks too to Chris Ward, latterly of Ossett, who is Michael’s second cousin and the grandson of George Herbert Ward.
In 1939, Albert Edward Preston, a motor engineer and his wife Nora were living at 9, Wakefield Road Rothwell with their daughter Sheila. Another name in the household is redacted and may be Joan.
Joan & Sheila Preston in WWII daughters of Albert & Nora Preston (nee Ward)
Photograph courtesy Michael Kent
