Sharples, Abraham Jackson: Service no. 164185 (Military Medal)

Digitized Service Record

Source: Page 223 “Duty Nobly Done” repelling German trench raid March 13, 1917 in the Vimy Sector.

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Family Search: When Private Abraham Jackson Sharples was born on 9 November 1877, in Lancaster, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, his father, Thomas Sharples, was 27 and his mother, Mary Sharples, was 27. He lived in Brantford, Brant, Ontario, Canada, in 1916 and Gisborne, Gisborne, New Zealand in 1929. He registered for military service in 1915. In 1916, at the age of 39, his occupation is listed as labourer in Brantford, Brant, Ontario, Canada. He died on 25 November 1951, in Wellington, New Zealand, at the age of 74, and was buried in Taruheru Cemetery, Makauri, Gisborne, New Zealand.

Awarded Military Medal for actions following a German trench raid on March 13, 1917.

London Gazette: 30036
Date: 26 April 1917
Honour or Award: Military Medal
Authority: R.O. 1137, Byng, 27 March 1917
Name: Abraham Jackson Sharples (reg. no. 164185)
Unit: 18th Battalion

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in action. During an intense bombardment of our trenches immediately preceding a hostile raid, this N.C.O. rendered most valuable service in operating a Lewis Gun. His promptness in bringing the gun into action undoubtedly prevented the enemy from reaching our advanced posts. Although wounded, he continued fighting until the enemy was driven back to their own lines.

Reference (dead link) to where Lance Corporal Sharples lived for part of his live in England:

After 1871 the Sharples family came to live in the cottage and in the1881 census it is described as “Township Cottage”. They had a baby daughter aged 1 year who must be the Mary Ellen remembered today by our senior citizens.

No. 64, Township Cottage.
Thomas Sharples, head of household, aged 31, general labourer.
Mary Sharples, wife, aged 31.
George William, aged 4, son, scholar.
Abraham Jackson Sharples, son aged 3.
Mary Ellen, daughter, aged 1. [Census return 1881]

The house is referred to again as Hanging Green Cottage in 1891 when Thomas had taken up employment on the railway. Son Abraham was employed as a servant:

Thomas Sharples, aged 44, Railway Plate layer.
Mary, wife, aged 41.
Abraham Jackson Sharples, aged 13, servant, working.
Mary Ellen, daughter, aged 11, scholar.

The final reference to Mary Ellen was in a village directory of 1933 when the cottage was referred to as “Goose Green”.

The Misses Betty and Molly Derham of Hest Bank Lane remember clearly the one cottage on this site occupied by Mary Ellen Sharples, and this was in the late 1920’s or early 30’s. There was a well in the garden from which she obtained her water supply, it was fed by the Hatlex Brook which was an open stream until it went under the canal in a pipe. It was a popular sport for young boys to crawl through this pipe! At the bottom of Hatlex Lane was a waterfall as the stream descended to the level of what is now the Coastal Road.