Name
Wilfred James Arnold Pankhurst
10/04/1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/01/1918
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
533946
London Regiment *1
2nd/15th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
RAMLEH WAR CEMETERY
Row H, Grave 5.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
"A LOVING SON & BROTHER LOVED BY ALL FROM FATHER & MOTHER"
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Oxhey War Memorial, St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey
Pre War
Wilfred James Arnold Pankhurst was born on 10th April 1894 in Watford, Herts, the youngest of 4 children of Henry John Pankhurst (B1850 in Hatfield, Herts) a Parcel Porter at the General Post Office and Eliza Pankhurst (B 1861 in Creech St Michael, Somerset) (nee Wills). He was Baptise on the13th May 1894, at Hampstead Christ Church, at the time the family were living at 93 Heath Street, Hampstead.
1901 Census records Wilfred aged 6, living at 15 Oxhey Street, Watford, Herts, with his parents, and three siblings, Winifred 15, Ernest 13, and Arthur 10.
By 1911, his father Henry had retired, his older brother Ernest (23), was a Postman, Winifred (25) a Cashier and Bookkeeper and Arthur (20), a Machinist, Wilfred, who was 16, was a clerk with the London North Western Railway Company. They were all still living at 15 Oxhey Street, Watford.
His parents married 28 May 1885 in Creech St Michael, Somerset. Henry died in 1924 in the Watford district aged 74; Eliza died in 1929 in the Dartford, Kent, district aged 69.
Wartime Service
Wilfred enlisted in Watford, Herts, and served with the 2nd/15th Battalion, London Regiment (Prince of Wales Own Civil Service Rifles). Initially with the Service Number 7340 and then 533946. His Medal Card shows he arrived in Salonika in February 1917. He then moved to Egypt in June 1917, to join the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF). (A British Army formation formed on 10th March 1916).
Wilfred died in Palestine on 9th January 1918, of wounds received in action. He was 23 years old.
He is remembered with honour at the CWGC Ramleh War Cemetery in Israel Grave Ref: H. 5. and is commemorated on the St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Herts.
Additional Information
His mother, Mrs. E. Pankhurst of 15, Oxhey Street, Watford, Herts. ordered his headstone inscription: "A LOVING SON & BROTHER LOVED BY ALL FROM FATHER & MOTHER". His mother was awarded a Dependents Pension of 4/- a week.
There is a brief article about and a Death announcement for Wilfred in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 26 January 1918; plus an In Memoriam in the issue dated 11 January 1919.
Unfortunately, Wilfred’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London)
Bn. London Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own Civil Service Rifles).
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
