Name
(Hamor) William Fenn
1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/03/1916
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
3531
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LONGUENESSE (ST. OMER) SOUVENIR CEMETERY
II. B. 47.
France
Headstone Inscription
BELOVED AND MISSED BY ALL
UK & Other Memorials
Little Gaddesden Village Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Little Gaddesden, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour (2018 Revision), Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Hamor William Fenn (always known as William) was born in 1880 at Ballingdon Bottom, Whipsnade, Beds, the son of George William and Harriett Fenn, the eldest of four children. He was baptised at St John the Baptist Church, Great Gaddesden on 31 October 1880.
On the 1881 Census the family were living at Common side, Studham. Beds but they had moved the Little Gaddesden by 1885 when his sister Rose was born and in 1891 the family were living at 18 Little Gaddesden and his father was working as a Herdsman. They remained living at the same address in 1901 his father was working as a Domestic Coachman and William was employed as a Plumber.
He was a member of the Little Gaddesden Brass Band which gave concerts and took part in parades in the local area. His father died in 1908 and is buried in Little Gaddesden churchyard.
On the 1911 Census he was living with his widowed mother and brother Herbert at 18 Little Gaddesden and working as a Plumber (Domestic) for The Earl of Brownlow.
Wartime Service
He had served in the Volunteer Force then in the Territorials under Reg. no. 520, for a total of 18 years between 1896 and 1914 being promoted to Corporal and then Sergeant. He was awarded the Territorial Efficiency Medal, but was discharged from the Territorials on 8th August 1914 as “Being Medically Unfit for Further Service”.
However, he somehow managed to go to France with the 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment on 6th November 1914 and fought with the regiment in the 1st Battle of Ypres.
He was admitted to the 4th Stationary Hospital in St Omer, France on 9 July 1915 with Pyrexia UO (a fever of unknown origin), and was discharged on 25 July 1915. Sadly he became ill again the following year, and died on 22nd March 1916, aged 35, in hospital in St Omer, France after a short illness.
He is buried in Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £7 and pay owing of £9 1s 3d. She was also granted probate on 12 May 1916 in London with effects of £197 8s 3d and received a pension of 3 shillings a week from 2 September 1916.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, dacorumheritage.org.uk, hemelatwar.org., littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk
