Name
William Maynard Dimmock
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/04/1917
40
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
400989
Essex Regiment
17th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HITCHIN CEMETERY
NE. 515.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Nearer my God to Thee
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Hitchin British Boys' School Memorial, Hitchin, Not on the Codicote memorials
Pre War
He was the son of William and Sarah Dimmock Dimmock and born around 1876 in Codicote. He attended Hitchin Boys British School.
In 1881 the family were living in part of 29 Little Thomas Street, Lambeth. Present were both parents: William (34) and Sarah (39), with William (senior) and working as a photographer artist. Their children were: Rosa (6), Wiliam Maynard (4), Esther Elizabeth (3) and Henry John (1).
By 1891 the family were living at 4 Wratten Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents and all the children listed above except Esther. William (senior) was a photographer and William (junior) was now 15 and working as a photographer’s assistant. New siblings were Rebecca M (8), Emily (6), Arthur (4) and Walter (1).
William Maynard married Julia Mole (b 2/3/1879) in St Ippolytts in the third quarter of 1900. They went on to have three children Fanny Elizabeth (b 11/5/1901), Maud Millicent (b 23/12/1905) and Minnie Lilian (b 15/7/1909)
In 1901 William and Julia were living at Cosier Bed Cottage, St Ippolytts, near Hitchin, with Julia’s mother, Fanny Moles (60), who was a widow. Also present were Julia’s brother John Moles, niece Nellie Moles (10), a boarder, Henry J Dimmock and a visitor Frederick Dimmock (7). William was working as a bricklayer’s apprentice.
By 1911 William and Julia were in their own home at 3 Black House Lane, Hitchin. The census recorded they had been married for 10 years with 3 children all living. Also, present were Fanny Elizabeth (10), Maud Milicent (5) and Minnie (1).
He worked at Harkness Rose Gardens in Hitchin and enlisted in Ampthill on 7 October 1915.
Officially he was recorded as born Hitchin (actually Codicote) and living in Hitchin when he enlisted in Ampthill, Beds.
Wartime Service
Originally Private 22704 8th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment and in April 1916 went to France. After only one month he was severely wounded in the side, near Ypres on the 22 May 1916 and invalided home. His medical board report dated 9 January 1917 records: “Wounds healed. Lame, obliged to use a stick on walking. Good movement at hip and knee, but muscles are weak.” and “Teeth all very bad.”
He died in the Norfolk War Hospital in Thorpe in Norfolk and his pension record gives the cause of death as caracoma of stomach (possibly this should read carcinoma). Accounts as to the date of his death vary. His memorial stone states 27th April 1917 whereas the National Roll states the 27th May 1917, which is an error, the confusion may be related to that fact that he was due to be discharged but died before that happened. In fact he still seems to have received an officially discharge on 2 May 1917, and awarded his Silver War Badge, no. 169204 on the 11th to mark that discharge.
His Regimental Number was 400989 and he was in the 17th Battalion of the Regiment. He had previously served with the Bedfords with Regimental Number 22704.
He was buried in Hitchin Cemetery in Grave NE 515 with full military honours.
Additional Information
His widow ordered his headstone inscription while living at 3, Black Horse Lane, Hitchin, it reads: “NEARER MY GOD TO THEE”.
After his death £4 5s 5d was authorised to go to his widow on 6 September 1917, then £2 18s 10d on 17 September 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £6 10s was authorised to be paid to her, on 1 October 1919.
His pension cards record widow as his next of kin living at 3, Black Horse Lane, Hitchin, and lists two children Maud Millicent (b 23/12/1905) and Minnie Lilian (b 15/7/1909), Fanny was not lists as she was over 16 when he died. She was awarded a pension of 22s 11d a week from 29 October 1917, and also received a grant of £3 on 10/5/1917. Another card breaks down this payment as 11s 12/4/1917 to 15/4/1917, then 11s + 5s for 3 children 16/4/1917 to 10/5/1917, then 11s + 3s 8d for 2 children 11/5/1917 to 16/10/1917
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
