Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of James Handley, a gamekeeper, born 1843 in Markfield, Leicestershire and his wife Louisa Handley (nee Raynor, married in the 2nd quarter of 1860 in the Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire district)), a laundress, born 1843 in Swithland, Leicestershire. Joseph, a schoolboy, was born in the 4th quarter of 1873 in Swithland, his siblings were, Albert H., a mason’s labourer, born on the 21st October 1866 in Swithland, twins, James, a schoolboy and Charlotte Louisa, a schoolgirl, born in the 1st quarter of 1871, the latter two siblings were both born in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire and Martha Ann E., born in the 1st quarter of 1881 in Belgrave, Leicester, in April 1881 the family home was at Queens Road, Knighton, Leicestershire. In 1891 Joseph was absent from the family home at King Street, Dudley, Staffordshire, residing there was his father, an inn keeper, his mother and sister Kate, born 1881 in Belgrave. In April 1911 Joseph was employed as a granite quarry blocker and was residing in the family home at 4, Shortridge Lane, Enderby, Leicestershire, together with his wife Harriett Hannah Handley (nee Winson, married on the 24th November 1902 in the Blaby, Register Office, Leicestershire), born 1867 in Enderby. Joseph also had the following older siblings, William J., born 1860, Christopher G., born 1864 and Mary Jane, born 1869, all three siblings were born in Mountsorrel.
Joseph attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (For the Duration of the War.) on the 5th October 1915 in Whitehall, London. He gave his full address as 4, Shortridge Lane, Enderby, Leicestershire his age as 41 years and his trade or calling as labourer. He confirmed that he was married. He gave his wife Harriett Handley of 4, Shortridge Lane, Enderby Leicestershire as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 10¾ inches in height and he had a chest measurement of between 36 to 38 inches. He gave his religion as Church of England. His record of service began when he joined the Royal Engineers Battalion as a Pioneer, service number 123917 on the 5th October 1915. Posted to the 10th Labour Battalion, “D” Company in Southampton on the 11/10/15. Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 13/10/15. Admitted to No.6 General Hospital, Rouen and diagnosed with diabetes on the 17/11/15.Transferred from No.6 General Hospital to England on the 18/11/15. Admitted to the 1st Scottish General Hospital, Aberdeen on the 19/11/15. A Medical Board convened and found that he was no longer fit for Army Service on the 9/12/15. Died of cardiac failure in the 1st Scottish General Hospital on the 10/1/16. A summary of his service records: Total service 98 days. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory medals.
The contents of a letter dated the 17th March 1916 on behalf of the Colonel in charge of Royal Engineers Records at Brompton Barracks, Chatham reads as follows:-
Madam,
I am directed by the Secretary, War Office, to inform you that as the disease which caused the death of your husband the late No. 123917, Pioneer Joseph Handley, Royal Engineers, was not contracted on active service, you are not eligible for a pension from Army Funds.
Your case, however, has been noted in order that it may be considered by the Statutory Committee of the Royal Patriotic Fund Corporation, which is empowered by the Naval and Military War Pension’s Act of 1915, to deal with cases where no pension is payable out of public funds.
I am
Madam,
Yours Faithfully.
Captain -----
Joseph’s surviving service documents are in poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the Army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.