Name
William Edward Davy
7 September 1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/07/1916
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
Cheshire Regiment
Adjt. 13th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 3 C and 4 A.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Ashwell memorials, Family grave St Mary's churchyard, Ashwell, Stationers' War Memorial, Stationers' Hall Court, London
Pre War
William Edward Davy was born in Kensington, Middlesex on 7 September 1892, the son of John William and Helena Kitty Davy. He was one of nine children, but three died in infancy.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 32 Russell Road, Kensington, London. His father's occupation was given as master printer. The family also employed three servants as nurse, cook and housemaid. William was educated at St. Pauls School, Hammersmith and was a chorister of King's College, Cambridge. The family remained at 32 Russell Road, Kensington in 1911 at which time William was working as a printer compositor.
He married Mary Blanche Paschoud (formerly of Vervey, Switzerland) by licence on 15 December 1914 at St Barnabas Church, Addison Road, Kensington, Middlesex and gave his occupation as Lieutenant in H M Forces, with his residence at the family home of 32 Russell Road, Kensington, Middlesex.
Wartime Service
In September 1914 he joined the Public Schools Battalion and was transferred as a Lieutenant to the 13th (Service) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, serving as the Battalion Adjutant. He arrived in France with his regiment in September 1915 and was promoted to Captain.
William was killed in action on 7 July 1916, aged 23 during the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Additional Information
Probate was granted to John William Davy (his father), attorney of his widow Mary Blanche Davy, with effects of £160 13s 7d. He also received the pay owing on her behalf, amounting to £134 2s 2d.
The inscription on a family grave in the Ashwell Churchyard, Northchurch reads:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
WILLIAM EDWARD DAVY
CAPT. AND ADJ. 13TH BATT.
CHESHIRE REGT.
KILLED INTHE BATTLE OF THE
SOMME, JULY 7th. 1916, AGED 23.
GREAT-GRANDSON OF
JOHN TOTMAN CHAPMAN
HE SOUGHT THE HONOUR OF HIS COUNTRY
HE BEHOLD THE GLORY OF GOD.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.londonremembers.com.
