Name
William Ikin
1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/10/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
290511
Cheshire Regiment
1st/7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DEIR EL BELAH WAR CEMETERY
D. 55.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Welwyn & Woolmer Green Internal Memorial, St Mary's Church, Welwyn, The men of Woolmer Green are listed with the men from Welwyn on memorials in Welwyn
Pre War
William Iken was born in 1895 in Over, Winsford, Cheshire, the son of John and Emma Iken (nee Hickson), and one of six children.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 57 John Street, Winsford, Cheshire where his father was working as a Salt Maker.
By 1911 he had moved out of the family home and was working as a servant for Mary Major (a widow) at her farm Oakfield House, Cholmondeston, Winsford. His occupation was given as waggoner on a farm.
He married Edith Florence Davies in 1915 prior to being sent abroad. Edith had been born in Welwyn, Herts and later lived at Woolmer Green, Stevenage, Herts.
Wartime Service
William enlisted in Macclesfield and joined the Cheshire Regiment, initially under Reg. No. 2324, later changed to 290511. He served with the 1/7 Battalion which sailed from Devonport, via Alexandria to Gallipoli where they landed on 8/9 August 1915. In December 1915 they withdrew from Gallipoli and were sent to Egypt. He rose to the rank of Sergeant.
He died on 10 October 1917 in Syria from Pyonephrosis (a condition in which pus collects in the kidney due to an infection and causes kidney failure). He is buried in Deir el Belah War Cemetery, Palestine (near the border with Egypt).
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £17 and pay owing of £1 3s 11d. She also received a pension of 16s 3d a week.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
