Lives of the First World War

1914

Norman Fisher was born on 5 February 1890 in Netherthong, the son of weaver John Fisher and his wife Alice. In the 1911 census, John is living in the family home with his parents and two elder sisters Edith Alice and Emma, his occupation given as shop assistant. Later in June 1915, the local paper described him as ‘formerly manager for Messrs Hey & Co, outfitters, Holmfirth.’ Three years later, at the age of 24 years and 11 months, John was in Leicester where he enlisted in 4 Bn Leicestershire Regiment in September 1914, a month after the outbreak of war. He gave his occupation as Commercial Traveller. He served initially in England but went out to France on 2 March 1915 seeing active service which he graphically described to friends at home in two letters reproduced in the local newspaper. He returned home on 5 January 1916, possibly ill or wounded because his service came to an end on 13 July 1916 when he was invalided out of the army under King’s Regulation xvi with Silver War Badge number 8195, being no longer physically fit for war service. The nature of his infirmities is not known but he died in October 1918 at Harrogate. He was 28 years old. His body was returned to his home village of Netherthong, West Yorkshire where he was buried in the churchyard of All Saints Church.

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