Christened  Joseph Matthew Heptinstall  born 1896 Stockton-On-Tees to George and Elizabeth. Heptinstall. On 1911 census he is 15 and a wagon boy for a mineral water co..  

Hed diied on 3rd September 1916 and is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial

Account below is from the website World War One Battlefields.On the 3rd of September, a small offensive was planned to improve positions before a major attack which was to follow later in the month. There was no preliminary bombardment at High Wood because of the close proximity of the lines, but the attack commenced with the blowing of the mine beneath the machine-gun post in the east of High Wood. Since early August, the 178th Tunnelling Company had worked to dig down 25 feet, and then construct a gallery 310 feet long. They placed 3000 lbs of ammonal below the machine-gun position, and 30 seconds before the infantry attack the mine was blown. Troops of the 1st Black Watch rushed forwards and took possession of the crater.Again, 'pipe-pushers', flame-throwers and also flaming oil-drums were to be used in this attack, but they added little and again caused casualties to British troops in some cases.

Meanwhile, troops of the 1st Cameronians and 8th Berkshires reached Wood Lane, where there had been a preliminary bombardment - their advance was made possible because the machine-gun position at the east of High Wood that was deadly to an attack on Wood Lane had been blown sky-high. They gained 200 yards of trench near High Wood in fierce hand to hand fighting.However, the attackers needed support to consolidate and hold their positions, and a German counter attack started, taking the crater in the east of High Wood and driving out the men of the Black Watch. The Germans then set up machine guns to replace those blown up by the mine, and so could enfilade Wood Lane once more. This in turn drove the Cameronians out of Wood Lane, and despite the innovations and even the mine, there was no success at High Wood. To commemorate the sacrifices of the 1st Cameronians and 1st Black Watch, these two units erected wooden crosses here in December 1916. These were replaced in 1924 by the first of the permanent memorials at the edge of High Wood. 

Linda Patterson