Name
William Henry Fisher
31 August 1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/10/1914
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
6453
Duke of Edinburgh’s (Wiltshire) Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 33 and 34.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Memorial Plaque, Memorial Hall, Bovingdon
Pre War
William Henry Fisher was born on 31 August 1885 in Bovingdon, Herts, the son of James and Cluzyna Ellen (nee Wren) Fisher, and baptised on 20 June 1886 at St Lawrence’s Church, Bovingdon. He was one of seven children, although one died in infancy. His parents had married on 21 July 1883 at St Mary the Virgin, Ware, Herts.
On the 1891 Census, the family were living at Post Office House, Weston, Herts, where his father was a Police Constable. They had moved to Watford by 1901 and were living in Benskins Road, when his father was working as a Wood Dealer and 15 year old William was working as a Stonemason.
He married Mary Elizabeth Narroway on 8 June 1908 at St Mary’s, Watford. On the 1911 Census, they were living at 28 Cardiff Road, Watford and William was working as a confectionery sugar boiler. Their son William James was listed, aged 2, born in 1909. They later had two more children, Gladys born in 1911 and Kenneth born in 1913.
His parents had moved to Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire by the 1911 Census, along with siblings Rebecca, Dorothy and Ernest. His mother died in 1930, aged 68 and his father died 21 March 1945 in Watford aged 86, and was buried on 26 March in North Watford Cemetery.
His widow Mary remarried on 6 October 1923 at St Mary’s, Watford to John Rackley. She died on 5 January 1967 in Watford aged 82, and was buried 11 January in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in London 28 October 1913 and was mobilised 1914, serving with the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment and arriving in France on 31 August 1914.
He was killed in action on 25 October 1914 at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £2 4s 11d. She also received a pension of £1 0s 6d a week for herself and her three children. There is an article about William in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 5 December 1914; plus In Memoriams in the issues dated 23 October 1915, 28 October 1916, and 27 October 1917. He also has an entry in the National Roll of the Great War. His brother Ernest served with the Grenadier Guards, and although wounded twice, he survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Malcolm Lennox, Dick West, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), www.dacorumheritage.org.uk
