Sidney William Coward

Story:
Sidney William Coward was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 26th December 1882 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 21st January 1883, the son of William Coward and Blanche Sarah Coward (née Hayter),  He lived all his life, apart from when on Military Service, in the St. James, Shaftesbury, area.  He married Blanche Gray in Shaftesbury on 26th December 1908 and they went on to have one daughter. He enlisted and served as a Private, successively, with 10th Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (Service No. 35868), the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment (Service No. 16167) and the 7th/8th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (Service No 44258).  It is not known in which theatre of war he served but following his discharge he was awarded the Victory and British War medals.  The 1921 Census and the 1939 Register both show him living at 7 Tanyard Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, working as a Cabinet Maker for G.L. Johnson, Cabinet Makers, of High Street, Shaftesbury.  He died at the Odstock Hospital, Salisbury, Wiltshire, on 12th May 1950 and later buried at St. James Church, Shaftesbury, on 17 May 1950.