Memorial Plaques were issued after the First World War to the next-of-kin of all the British and Empire Service personnel who were killed as a result of the war. The plaques were made of bronze, and hence popularly known as the Death Penny or ‘Dead Man’s Penny’, because of the similarity in appearance to the somewhat smaller penny coin. 1,355,000 plaques were issued which used a total of 450 tons of bronze, and continued to be issued into the 1930s to commemorate people who died as a consequence of the war.
Private William Melia from Bury, Lancashire served in the 3rd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. He died of wounds on the 16th July, 1916, Flanders, France. At the time of enrolling, William was a butchers assistant who lived with his parents James and Martha at 58, Fleet Street, Bury. It seems strange that William served with the Worcestershire Regiment, however, army units like the Worcestershire’s moved around the country to train, they came to Holcombe and they probably tried to recruit men from the local area whilst here. William is buried at Estaples Military Cemetery.