Name
Walter Vosper Jakins
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/07/1917
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Royal Flying Corps
54th Training Sqdn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHINGFORD MOUNT CEMETERY
G. 9. 96367.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Bishop's Stortford, Methodist Church Memorial, Bishop's Stortford, Congregational Church,Great Dunmow, Essex, Bancrofts School Memorial Panels, Woodford Green, Essex, Woodford Union Church Memorial Tablet, Woodford Green, Essex
Pre War
Walter Vosper Jakins was born in 1897 in Acton, Middlesex, the only son of Sidney Milroy Jakins and Helen Jakins. He was educated at Lindisfarne College, Westcliff on Sea, and at Bancrofts School, Woodford. On the 1911 Census, he was living with his family at Glenroy, Hildaville Drive, Westcliff on Sea, Essex. At the age of 15 he edited a school magazine on aviation. His father died in 1914 and his mother and sister Kathleen were living at The Lawns, Snakes Lane, Woodford at the time of Walter's death. His mother later lived at 13 Manor Road, Bishop's Stortford.
Wartime Service
He joined the army on 26 November 1915 as a despatch rider in the Royal Engineers and was promoted to Corporal the following month. In October 1916 he became a cadet in the Royal Flying Corps but in the following December went to Lincoln College, Oxford and gained his commission from there. He earned his "wings" on 10 May 1917 but was accidentally killed while flying a month later at Buckminster, Melton Mowbray, Leicester. He was flying a Sopwith Strutter which did a nose dive after engine failure. 2nd Lt Donald Dawson who was with him was injured but survived. He had a military funeral at Woodford Union Church, of which he was an "honoured" member, followed by a burial at Chingford Mount Cemetery. His coffin was placed on an aeroplane carriage and drawn by a lorry, accompanied by a band of fifes and drums. His coffin was carried into the church by members of the Royal Flying Corps from St Albans.
He was ineligible for war medals, presumably as he died before he could be posted on active service.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £7 and pay owing of £71 11s 10d, (his father having died in 1914). Probate was granted on 13 September 1917 to Helen Jakins (mother) with effects of £403 9s 4d. Home address given as 22 Ulster Place, Regents Park, Mddx.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
www.flightglobal.com, redbridgefirstworldwar.org.uk
