Name
William Randall Dunham
3/12/1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/10/1917
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
71086
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
11th Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DOZINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY
VI. E. 1.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
TILL WE MEET AGAIN FROM LOVING WIFE AND CHILDREN
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Wheathampstead Memorials, Chipperfield Village Memorial, St Paul's Church Memorial, Chipperfield
Pre War
William Randall was born on 3 Dec 1885, in Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, son of Frederick James Dunham and Ellen Jane (nee Goodwin). His mother Ellen died on 14 December 1885. His father Frederick remarried in December 1886, to Clara Latchford in Wheathampstead, Herts.
The 1891 Census records William aged 5, at school, living with his father and stepmother, brothers George (born 1877), Alfred (born 1880), Henry (born 1884), two sisters Maude (born 1881), Kate (born 1881) and two half-sisters Alice (born 1887), Ada (born 1889) at Hamwell Cottage, Nomans Land, Wheathampstead, Herts.
He was baptised on 28 June 1896, in the Parish Church, Wheathampstead, with his half-sister Rose (born 1894) and half-brother Ernest (born 1896).
1901 Census records William aged 15, working as a Butcher, living with his father, stepmother, brother Frederick, half-sisters Ada, Rose, May (born 1898) , and half-brother Ernest, in Hamwell, Wheathampstead.
William married Alice Latchford on 3 December 1908, in Apsley End, Herts, it is believed they went on to have four children. His father Frederick died in 1910, aged 60.
1911 Census records William as married, working as a Cowman, living with his wife Alice and two children, Alice Maude 2, and Dorothy May 7 months. The family are now living at Sanderstead Cottage, Weyhill Road, Andover, Hampshire. It is not known when the family moved to Chipperfield, Herts, but it must have some time between 1911 and 1912. There would two more children Lily Ivy (born 1912) and Vera Gladys (born 19150. Also on the 1911 Census his stepmother was living at Amwell, Wheathampstead with Ernest, May Lizzie (born 1904) and Annie (born 1906). William’s father died in 1910.
Wartime Service
William enlisted on 15 January 1916, at Watford, Herts, aged 30, his occupation was given as a Mill Hand, and he was living in Chappel(sic) Croft, Chipperfield, Herts., and he had served 3 years with Herts Artillery (a Territorial Unit). He was posted to the Army reserve and mobilised for war service on 1 June 1916 and posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment with the service number 29844, later transferring to the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) with the service number 71086.
He arrived on the Western Front on 25 September 1916 joining 11 Brigade Machine Gun Corps in 4 Division on the Somme, probably took part in the Battle of Le Transloy (1 - 18 Oct 1916) and in 1917 in the Battles of the Scarpe (Apr-May 1917) before moving to the Ypres area taking part in the Battle of Polygon Wood (part of 3rd Ypres, Passchendaele) from 26 Sep – 3 Oct 1917), he was wounded and died in this action and died of his wounds on 4 October 1917.
Additional Information
His widow Alice received his effects of £3-12s-7d, Pay Owing and a War Gratuity of £5-10s-0d. Alice remarried in December 1918, in Hemel Hempstead, Herts, to widower Arthur George. William isthe middle one of the three brothers appearing in the photograph.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
