Name
William Edward Banks
1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/06/1918
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
202409
London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
1st (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DERNANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
X. A. 1.
France
Headstone Inscription
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH
UK & Other Memorials
Shenley Village Memorial, Rickling Green Memorial, Essex
Pre War
William Edward Banks was born in 1887 at Rickling Green, Essex, the youngest son of John and Mary Banks and one of three children. He had an older brother Orbel Charles and sister Gertrude.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at the Coachman's House, Rickling, where his father was a domestic servant/coachman. They had moved to the Coach House, Highwood House, Hendon in 1901, where his father was working as a coachman (domestic) for John Whitaker and his family, the managing director of a brewery company.
From 1906 William was employed as a gardener at High Canons, Shenley, the home of William Walker, a retired corn merchant. He worked there for several years and lived in the bothy and is listed as a gardener (domestic) on the 1911 Census. Whilst there he was a member of the High Canons cricket team who played matches every weekend throughout the summer.
Prior to enlistment he was working in Oxted, Surrey.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Handel Street, London and served with the 1st Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), being attached to the 173rd Light Trench Mortar Battery.
William was killed in action on 21 June 1918 and is buried at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £11 10s and pay owing of £5 10s 10d. She also received a pension in respect of William but the amount is unclear from pension cards. She ordered his headstone inscription, while living at Richling [sic] Green, Newport, Essex, it reads: "FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH".
His brother Orbel served with the King's Royal Rifles and survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Taff Williams, Brenda Palmer
shenleyww1.wordpress.com
