Name
William Richard Lewis
1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/11/1916
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
23305
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, ROUEN
O.II.U.7
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Weston, Not on the Hitchin memorials
Pre War
William was born in 1885 in Hitchin and christened on 10 June 1885 in St Mary’s Church, Hitchin. His parents were Thomas James and Elizabeth Alice Henson Lewis (née Maylin), who married in St Mary’s Church, Hitchin on 7 August 1882.
In 1891 William Richard Lewis (5) and his mother Elizabeth Alice Lewis (30) was living in her parents’ home in St Andrews Street, Hitchin. They were Arthur and Sarah Ann Mayin and Athur worked as a chimney sweep, and Elizabeth was a straw plaiter. We do not know why William’s father was absent, probably working elsewhere but we have not yet found him in the census. Alsoi present were Elizabeth’s sister Sarah A Maylin (33), a Clara C Lewis – possibly Sarah’s daughter, and a visitor Arthur Church (28).
In 1901 William’s immediate family were now living at St Andrew’s Street, Hitchin. Present were both parents: Thomas (41) and Elizabeth (42), they were working as a flesher at a fellmongers and a straw plaiter respectively. Their children were: William Richard, who was 14 a farm labourer, and Arthur (10) and Leonard B (8).
By 1911 the family were living at 4 Browns Yard, Hitchin. Present were both parents, Thomas now working as a rag collector. The census recorded they had been married for 29 years with 9 children, of whom 5 had died. The children listed were now William, working as a tanyard salter, Arthur (20) and Ivy (8).
William married Nellie Elizabeth Blaxill (b 30/10/1884) in 1912 in Hitchin and the later her had a child Thomas William (b 25/10/1914).
Officially he was recorded as born in Hitchin, Herts. and was living in Weston, Herts. when he enlisted in Bedford.
Wartime Service
Enlisted in Bedford. Injured during an attack at the Beaucourt Sector with a gunshot wound to his thigh. Transferred to No. 5 General hospital in the Rouen district of France and died of wounds in O.C.9 General Hospital at Rouen.
His place of burial at Rouen suggests that be died in or in transit to hospital. In the days preceding his death the Battalion had been involved in violent attacks on the German positions west of Beaucourt in the area of the River Ancre.
Additional Information
After his death £3 8s 7d pay owing was authorised to go to his widow, Nellie, on 24 March 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £3 10s was authorised to be paid to her on 8 October 1919.
His pension cards record Nellie Elizabeth Lewis his widow and dependant, living at Maiden Street Bakery, Weston, nr Stevenage, Herts. It also records their child as Thomas William (b 25/10/1914). She and their child were awarded a grant and then a pension of 18s 9d a week from 25 May 1917.
Acknowledgments
Peter Handy, Brenda Palmer
