Name
William Wykes
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/11/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
2912
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
2nd/10th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ALEXANDRIA (CHATBY) MILITARY AND WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY
B. 130.
Egypt
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial,
St Mary's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead,
St Paul's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead (now lost)
Pre War
William Wykes was born on 16 May 1892 in Hemel Hempstead, Herts, the son of Henry and Henrietta Wykes, and baptised on 3 July 1892 at St Paul's Church, Hemel Hempstead. He was one of eight children.
On the 1901 Census the family were living in Crescent Road, Hemel Hempstead, where his father was working as a Bricklayer. The family remained in Crescent Road in 1911, living at No. 10 and his father had been promoted to Foreman Bricklayer but William had moved to Erith, Kent. He was working as Draper's Assistant, being apprenticed to Hedley Mitchell who had started his department store in Pier Road, Erith in 1890 before opening a larger shop on the High Street. William was living at 127-135 High Street with others who also worked at Mitchells.
He lived at 29 West View Road, Hemel Hempstead with his parents on enlistment.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in at Stamford Brook Lodge, Hammersmith shortly after the outbreak of war on 2 November 1914 and joined the 10th (Reserve) Battalion, Duke of Cambridge's Own Middlesex Regiment, which was a Territorial Battalion.
He underwent basic training at Staines until April 1915 when the Battalion moved to Bedford in May. They sailed from Devonport on 18 July 1915 as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force bound for Gallipoli. They arrived in Egypt in early August then moved on to Suvla Bay, on the Gallipoli peninsula on 9 August 1915. He survived the Battle of Scimitar Hill, a costly failure for the British and Commonwealth forces with more than 5,000 casualties but was struck down by illness soon after.
He initially contracted scabies and was admitted to the 33rd Field Ambulance on 30 September 1915 but four days later was found to be suffering from dysentery and was evacuated to the Base Hospital at Alexandria.
He died in Egypt on 1 November 1915 and is buried at Alexandria Military and War Memorial Cemetery.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £7 10s. She also received a pension of 5 shillings a week. Two of his brothers, Edwin and Herbert fought in the war, and survived.
It was reported in the Hemel Hempstead Gazette of 11 November 1916 that a memorial service was held at St Paul's Church, Hemel Hempstead for William Wykes and four other soldiers from the parish.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com, Jonty Wild
