Name
William Edwin Oakley
1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/08/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/4828
Royal Sussex Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 7 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Tring Town Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Tring, New Mill Baptist Church, Tring
Pre War
William Edwin Oakley was born in Kings Norton, Birmingham, Worcestershire in 1895, the son of Edwin and Ruth Oakley, and baptised on 19 May 1895 at All Saints Church, Kings Heath, Worcs. (N.B. his mother had been born in Tring, Hertfordshire)
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 31 Kings Road, Kings Norton, Worcs, where his father was working as house painter. He had two younger sisters Lily and Minnie. By the 1911 Census William was living at the Royal Hotel, Tring Station, Herts, aged 16 and working as a servant. His parents were then living at 3 New Town, New Mill, Tring which is the address he gave on enlistment and gave his occupation as waiter.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Brighton, Sussex on 7 January 1915 and joined the Royal Sussex Regiment, being posted to the 7th Battalion on 25 April 1915. He served in France from 25 November 1915.
William was killed in action on 1 August 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His father Edwin received a war gratuity of £6 10s and pay owing of £6 0s 3d. Pension cards exist with his mother as dependant but do not show the amount of pension received.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
