Taking place on Saturday 6 August at 11am, the commemoration will take place at the Remembrance Cross in Eston Cemetery on Normanby Road with the Mayor doing a reading from the Bible as part of the ceremony.
Born in 1885 in Eston, Private Short joined the Green Howards, Yorkshire Regiment in 1914 after more than ten years working for the Bolckow, Vaughan & Co Steelworks and travelled to France in 1915.
He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his outstanding bravery at Munster Alley, a key area in the Battle of the Somme, where even with a serious foot injury he still primed Mills bombs for soldiers in ‘B’ Company until he succumbed to his injuries.
At Saturday’s commemoration, 100 years on from his death, a representative from the Yorkshire Regiment will read the letter sent to William’s father James informing him of his son’s death.
Cllr Hunt said: “Private Short was one of many who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the Battle of the Somme whilst displaying great gallantry in the face of the enemy, the unveiling of this memorial stone is the least we can do to pay tribute to the memory of an Eston resident who went above and beyond to defend his country.
“I would urge as many people as possible to attend the ceremony, at 11am on Saturday, and pay their own tributes to a Victoria Cross recipient.”