Name
William John Mabbitt
1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/03/1918
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
R/5135
King’s Royal Rifle Corps
17th Battalion
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VILLERS-FAUCON COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
III. C. 24.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Baldock memorials
Pre War
William John Mabbitt was born in 1882 in Baldock, the son of George and Sarah Jane Mabbitt, of Baldock, Herts, and was baptised on 28 May 1882 in Baldock. He was one of ten children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living in Bygrave Road, Baldock where his father was working as a farm labourer. His parents and four siblings had moved to 1 Lodge Cottages, Willian, Herts by 1901 but at that time William was recorded living with his aunt Susannah McKewan and her daughter Susannah Peck at 55 Arundel Square, Islington, London, where he was working as a stable man/groom.
He married Ada Marie Peck at Islington Registry Office on 21 February 1907. On the 1911 Census Ada was recorded as married four years, and working as a servant and cook domestic at the home of clergyman Isaac Griffiths and his wife at St Augustine's Vicarage, Highbury New Park, Islington. Her son William George Mabbitt, ten months old, was living with her. (He sadly died later the same year). Meanwhile, her husband William was living at 23 Devonshire Street, Islington, and working as a general packer at Liebig's Extract of Meat Company (maker of Oxo cubes and Fray Bentos corned beef). Their daughter, Ada born in 1908, was being cared for by William's married sister and Annie and her husband Herbert Wisbey at their home at 46 De Walden Buildings, St John's Wood, London.
William and Ada had a further two daughters, Doris, born 1912 and Irene, born 1914. The baptismal record of Doris on 18 April 1912 at St Peter, Islington, shows them living at 23 Devonshire Street, Islington and his occupation as packer. He was living at Homerton, Middlesex at the time of enlistment.
Wartime Service
He attested on 15 September 1914 at Finsbury Barracks, to serve as Rifleman with the Kings Royal Rifle Corps and served in France from 21 July 1915 with the 17th Battalion. He was appointed Lance Corporal on 4 October 1916, then promoted to Corporal on 25 August 1917.
William was wounded on 25 March 1918 with shrapnel wounds to his right thigh and lower leg as well as his right forearm. He died from his wounds at 5.00 pm on 27 March 1918 at the field hospital. He is buried in Villers-Faucon Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £21 10s and pay owing totalling £9 6s 8d (in two separate payments). She also received a widow's pension of 15 shillings a week, and a children's allowance of 15s 10d a week, making a total of £1 10s 10d a week. She was then living at 7 Oriel Road, Homerton, London E9.
N.B. One of the two entries in the Register of Soldiers Effects, gives the incorrect date of death as 27.5.18.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson
