Name
William Gatward
1876
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/05/1918
42
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
31161
Royal Fusiliers *1
34th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, ROUEN
Q.II.H.19
France
Headstone Inscription
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF MY DEAR BROTHER FROM HIS LOVING SISTER EMILY
UK & Other Memorials
All Saints Church Memorial, St Paul’s Walden, Whitwell War Memorial, Not on the Welwyn Village memorials
Pre War
William Gatward was born in 1876 in Whitwell, St Pauls Walden, Welwyn, Herts, the son of John Gatward, an agricultural labourer, and Mary (nee Saunders). On the 1881 Census the family consisted of parents, Louisa (a straw plaiter, born 1863), Emily (born 1871), William, and Alfred (born 1878). His father John died in 1889, aged 57.
On the 1891 Census Alfred was living with his widowed mother Mary at Whitwell,
On the 1901 Census the family were living at High Street, Whitwell, St Pauls Walden and consisted of Mary (mother), William (a railway carter)and Alfred (a farm labourer). There was also a visitor Daisy Fossett (Fawcett) daughter of Louisa Fawcett, (nee Gatward). Williams sister Emily was working as a domestic cook in Harpenden.
On the 1911 Census William was living with his mother at Whitwell and was working as a farm labourer. He continued to live there until enlistment.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for William. He enlisted at Bedford and initially is said to have joined the Territorial Force in the Royal Fusiliers, as Private 31161. Other records suggest that he served with the Royal Fusiliers however, it seems that only 4 Battalions (1/1, 1/2, 1/3 and 1/4, all City of London Battalions) of the London Regiment were affiliated to Royal Fusiliers. His service was more likely to have been with 34th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment.
When the Labour Corps was formed in 1917, 34th (Labour) Battalion Royal Fusiliers (sic) was renamed as 101st Labour Company and William did serve in France with the 101st Company, Labour Corps, as Private 60142.
He died on 15 May 1918, from wounds received in action, aged 42 and is buried at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France.
Additional Information
His brother Alfred received a war gratuity of £9. Pay owing of £18 6s 7d was divided between his brother Alfred and sisters Emily Gatward and Louisa Fossett (Fawcett). His sister Emily is listed as a dependent on pension records but there is no indication of a pension being awarded.
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London) Bn London Regiment – some sources suggest it was a Labour Battalion. A later 34th (County of London) Battalion London Regiment was formed 27 Jun 1918 and went to France on 1 Aug 1918, joining 49 Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Brenda Palmer
