Private Sam Binns aged 33

Sam was born in July 1884. In the 1891 census, he was at 10 Solomon Hill.

In 1901 he was with his father, Charles Patrick, a Plasterer / whitewasher labourer, and mother Sarah Binns, at 2 Old Riding Head. He was working as a Paper Finisher.

In March 1904 he was signed up for 6 years army service. He was 5ft 2 ¾ in tall, 34 in chest, with grey eyes and dark brown hair.

It seems that somehow he bought himself out within days. In 1907 he married Millicent Currie and by 1911 they were living at 3 Upper Green Royd, Mount Tabor and he was a labourer in a stone quarry. Both were 27 years old and they’d already had at least three children.

Private Sam Binns fell at Pourrey Wood near Rheims in France.

He has no known grave but is commemorated on the Soissons Memorial, Aisne. Sam’s story is best told by an extract from the Hebden Bridge Times.