Name
William James Jennings
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/11/1916
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
4593
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
1st/7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PONT-DU-HEM MILITARY CEMETERY, LA GORGUE
II. C. 18.
France
Headstone Inscription
THE LORD GAVE THE LORD HATH TAKEN AWAY
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, All Saints Church Memorial, Hockerill, All Saints Church Memorial Board, Hockerill
Pre War
William James Jennings was born in 1892 in Bishop's Stortford (baptised at Holy Trinity, Bishop's Stortford on 26 Mar 1893 to Arthur Jennings, a Maltster’s labourer, and Mary Ann (nee Miller).
On the 1891 the family of parents, Elizabeth (born 1883), Louisa A (born 1885), Arthur H (born 1886), Hannah (born 1888) and Sydney were living at Middle Row, Bishop's Stortford.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Louisa, Arthur H, Hannah, Sydney, Alexander Edward (born 1890), William J , Reginald (born 1894), Percy (born 1895), Ellen Mary (born 1897) and Cecil (born 1900) were still living at Middle Row, Bishop's Stortford, where his father was a maltmaker.
By 1911 the family of parents with Hannah, William J, Reginald, Percy and Cecil were at 71 South Mill Road, Bishop's Stortford and William was working as a labourer for a fishmonger.
Wartime Service
No service records were found for William, It is probable that he enlisted with his brother Sydney as they both enlisted at Hornsey and their service numbers are close 4593 for William and 4584 for Sydney) and gave the same address on enlistment.
William became Territorial Soldier Private 4593 in the 7th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment). In Jun 1915 he was posted to 3/7 Battalion for training and on 30 Aug 1916 was posted to 1/7 Battalion, (which had been in France since Mar 1915) landing in France on 2 Sep 1916. In Feb 1916 1/7 Battalion became part of 167 Brigade, 56 (London) Division and took part in some of the later Battles of the Somme (1916), particularly Flers Courcelette, Morval, and Le Transloy. William was killed in action on 30 Nov 1916 and may have due to the attrition of troops due to shelling, sniping etc.
Additional Information
His mother Mary Ann received a War Gratuity of £7 and arrears of £5 11s. While living at 23 Elm Grove Road, Bishop's Stortford, Herts., she ordered his headstone inscription: "THE LORD GAVE THE LORD HATH TAKEN AWAY".
His mother also received a pension of 10 shillings a week from 8 Nov 1918 for both William and his brother Sidney, who was killed in action on 16 Aug 1917.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
