Name
William James Dean
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/12/1915
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
19770
Hampshire Regiment
10th Bn.
"B" Coy,
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DOIRAN MEMORIAL
Greece
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Bushey Town Memorial, St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey, Not on the Watford memorials
Pre War
William was born 11 September 1890 in Harrow Weald, Middx, and baptised 16 November 1890 at All Saints, Harrow Weald. William James Dean was the son of James William a shoeing smith and Emily (née Gower) Dean,. They were married on 23 August 1884 in Aldbury, Herts. He was the second of ten children, and the family came from Harrow to Bushey in about 1902.
Emily died 1931 in Bushey aged 66, and was buried 8 July at St James’, Bushey; James died 1937 in Bushey aged 77, and was buried 24 March, also at St James.
He attended Callowland Board School, Watford, from 7 September 1899 to 18 July 1902.
On the 1891 Census, he was 7 months old and living in Harrow Weald with his parents and three siblings. On the 1901 Census, aged 10, he was living in Watford with his parents and six siblings.
He attended Callowland Board School in Watford between 1899 and 1902.
On the 1911 Census, aged 20, he was working as a general labourer and living at 9 Greatham Road, Bushey with his parents and nine siblings.
Officially recorded as born in Harrow Weald, Middlesex and was living in Watford when he enlisted in Bedford.
Wartime Service
William was living at 9 Greatham Road when he enlisted as Private 18259 with the Bedfordshire Regiment. He later transferred to the Royal Hampshire Regiment and served as Private 19770 in the Balkans. His date of death (his pension card states this as ‘missing’) is recorded as 7 December 1915, aged 24.
The card also states ‘Other Soldier, No. 4649 Pte. A Dean, 1st Herts. Regt. This is Albert Dean, who later transferred to the Bedfordshire Regiment as Corporal 266458. His pension records are incomplete so it is not clear whether he survived the war.
He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 3 October 1915, and was killed in action.
William is remembered with honour on the Doiran Memorial in Greece. He is also commemorated on the Bushey Town Memorial, at St James’ Parish Church and at St Paul’s.
Additional Information
The pension record also gives his dependant as his mother, Emily Dean, living at 27 Greatham Road, Bushey, and awards a pension of 5/- per week from 17/10/16. It also gives his sister (possibly as another dependant) as Mrs Amy Boxall of 19 Ashdon Road, Bushey Hall Road, Watford, although the mother’s name is not crossed out.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH online via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
