Name
William Thomas Peachey
8/05/1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/11/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
4128
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CONNAUGHT CEMETERY, THIEPVAL
VII. E. 4.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Barley Village Memorial, St Margaret's Church Memorial, Barley, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
William Thomas PEACHEY (a Twin) was born in Barley, Hertfordshire, on 8th May 1894, son of Allan Peachey a Farm Labourer and Lucy May Peachey (nee Slater). One of their four children.
He was Baptised on 24th June 1894, with his twin brother George Stanley Peachey, in the Parish of Barley, Herts.
1901 Census records William aged 6, living with his parents, sister Hilda (15), brother Frank (8) and twin brother George (6), at Church End, Barley, Herts.
1911 Census, William (16) and twin brother George are working as Farm Labourers, living with their parents still in Church End, Barley, Herts.
Wartime Service
William travel to the County Town of Hertford to enlisted, posted to the Hertfordshire Regiment and issued with the service No. 4128 (his service number indicated he enlisted in December 1914). On completion of his training, he was sent to the Western Front.
William was Killed in action on 13th November 1916, aged 22, the first day of the Battle of the Ancre, (Battle of the Ancre 13th – 18th November 1916). The Battle of the Ancre was the final phase of the Battle of the Battle of the Somme (Battle of the Somme 1st July – 18th November 1916).
On the morning of the 13th November 1916, the Hertfordshire Regiment, advanced some 1600 yards and sized the German Hansa Line achieving all their objectives, they held the position until relived the following night.
Casualties, 7 Officers, 20 other ranks Killed, William being one of them, 5 missing and 115 wounded.
Additional Information
His mother Lucy May Peachey received a Dependents Pension of 5/- a week from 3rd November 1918, and his effects of £4-16s-05d, pay owing and his war gratuity of £9.
His twin brother George Stanley Peachey served and survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Paul Johnson, Adrian Pitts, Jonty Wild
