Name
William Jay
9/06/1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/09/1918
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
38706
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
AIX-NOULETTE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
II. H. 15.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Cheshunt Town Memorial, St. Clements Church Memorial, Turnford, Not on the Sawbridgeworth War Memorial, We are not aware of any memorial in Spellbrook
Pre War
William Jay was born in Spellbrook, Nr. Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, on 9th June 1882, son of William Jay a, Stockman/Cowman and Ellen Jay (nee Sanders). The second of three sons, James A. (B 1880) and George H. (B 1887).
He was Baptised in the Parish of Sawbridgeworth, on 2nd July 1882.
1891 Census records William Jr. aged 8, living with his parents, brothers James A. (11) and George (4) at, 8 Lane Cottage, Spellbrook, Herts.
1901 Census records William Jr. aged 18, working as a Nursery Market Gardener, the family are now living at, Nunnery Farm, Cheshunt, Herts. His two brothers are also Nursery Market Gardeners.
1911 Census the family are still living at Nunnery Farm; William Jr. and his brothers are recorded as working as Nurserymen.
William Jr. Married Rose Nellie Gertrude Page, the daughter of Silas and Sarah Jane Page of Waltham Abbey, Essex, on 27th December 19012, at St Lawrence and Holy Cross, Waltham Abbey, Essex. They went on to have four children, William James, Robert, Eliza Nellie and Ronal Royce Jay.
Wartime Service
William Jr. travelled to the County Town of Hertford to enlisted. Posted to the 8th Battalion, Queens Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), issued with the service number 38706.
In September 1918, the Battalion was operating near Cambrai supporting the Canadians there. He is recorded as killed in action on 26 September 1918. He is buried at Aix-Noulette which was the site of a major casualty clearing station many miles to the rear and implies that William Jr. may have died of wounds received earlier.
William Jay is buried at Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension, France. He was aged 36.
Additional Information
Rose received a Widows Pension of 33/9 a week from 14th April 1919. Her pension card records her address as, 3 Albany Grove Road, Cheshunt, Herts, and his effects of
£4-1-00, pay owing and his war gratuity of £3.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild, Douglas Coe
