Name
William Robert Povey
1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/02/1916
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
15403
Princess Charlotte of Wales’ (Royal Berkshire) Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BECOURT MILITARY CEMETERY, BECORDEL-BECOURT
I. E. 13.
France
Headstone Inscription
UNTIL THE DAY BREAKS
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Oxhey Memorials. Newbury Town War Memorial.
Pre War
William Robert Povey was born in
Newbury, Berkshire in 1884, the son of James Povey a Bricklayer and Hannah
Povey (nee Nicholls). He was Baptised on 17th February 1884, at St
Mary’s Church Speenhamland, Berkshire. William was the eldest of their seven
children, he was followed by Benjamin (born 1886), Arthur James (1888), Harry
Christopher (1890), Elizabeth (1891), Frederick John (1894), and Ellen Amie (1895).
Their father James died shortly after the birth of Ellen in 1895, in Newbury,
aged 39.
1891 Census records William aged 7,
at school, living with his parents and six siblings, at 2, Kennet Place, Speen,
Nr Newbury, Berkshire.
By 1901 William now aged 17, had left
school and was employed as a Baker Journeyman, living with his Widowed mother
and his six siblings still at 2, Kennet Place.
In 1911 he was living with his Widowed
mother, and 4 siblings, at 4 Northampton Terrance, London Road, Newbury and was
employed as a General Labourer.
William married Fanny Hillier on 25th
November 1911 in Newbury. After his death Fanny remarried in 1919 to James
Arthur Dilks in Watford, Herts, they lived at 185, Upper Paddock Road, Oxhey,
Herts.
Wartime Service
William enlisted in Newbury, Berkshire, posted to the Royal
Berkshire Regiment with the service number 15403. His Medal Card records he
arrived in France on 25th July 1915. William was killed by a sniper while on
sentry duty, on the 14th February 1916. He was 32 years
old. At the time of his death he was serving with “B” Company, of the 6th
Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales (Royal Berkshire) Regiment.
All five Povey brothers served their Country, Brother Benjamin was awarded the Military Medal, he was also Killed in Action on 15th September 1916, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing on the Somme, France.
William is remembered with honour at
Becourt Military Cemetery, on the Somme, France.
Additional Information
The value of his effects were £4-16s-4d, Pay Owing and £5, War Gratuity which went to his widow Fanny. She received a widows pension of 4/- per week. Son of James and Hannah Povey, of Newbury; husband of Fanny Dilks (formerly Povey), of 185, Upper Paddock Rd., Oxhey, Watford. Also see ‘Additional Information’ provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
