Corporal Isaac Espley
Isaac Espley was born in 1885 at Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, one of at least five children of potter Isaac Espley and his wife Ann (née Wedgewood). His father died just three years later. By the time of the 1901 Census he was living as a boarder at 25 Moore Street, Burslem, and working as a potter's labourer.
Espley enlisted in the North Staffordshire Regiment at Hanley on 23 November 1900 (No.5013). He gave his age as 17 years 11 months (he was just 15 at the time). After 49 days, however, he was discharged, having committed a felony.
On 23 May 1907 he re-enlisted, in the Dragoons of the Line (No.5735 – later Corps of Dragoons No.21172), using the name Walter G. Wedgewood, presumably to disguise the fact of his previous enlistment. (Nine years later he changed his name back to Isaac Espley.) He was posted to the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons. By the time of the 1911 Census he was serving with the regiment in Mhow, India.
On 28 April 1914, having returned to England, he married Elizabeth Espley in Wolstanton.
Espley/Wedgewood embarked for France on 5 October 1914. Records suggest he was part of a Composite Regiment of the Household Cavalry, attached to the 1st Life Guards. He later returned to the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, which had arrived in France in December 1914.
Espley was injured at the beginning of July 1916, suffering a fractured right thumb.
At some point in 1916 or 1917 he was posted to the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, either as part of the headquarters establishment which joined the new regiment in France at the beginning of July, or as part of A Squadron – the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron.
On 17 February 1919 Espley was demobilised and transferred to Section B, Army Reserve. He was discharged at the end of his twelve-year term of engagement on 22 May 1919.
After the war Espley returned to Stoke-on-Trent, later moving to Kirkcaldy in Scotland (see article below). He received a pension due to his thumb injury and disordered action of the heart, his level of disability assessed at 20 per cent in April 1920.
Fife Free Press and Kirkcaldy Guardian, 21 March 1925
One of Espley's brothers, Enoch, also served in the war, in the Army Veterinary Corps.