Name
Sydney Harold Markham
1899
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/10/1918
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
47662
King's Royal Rifle Corps
18th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TERLINCTHUN BRITISH CEMETERY, WIMILLE
V1 C2
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Goff's Oak Memorial, Goff's Oak Street Name, Cheshunt Town Memorial
Pre War
Sydney Harold Markham was born in Brixton, London & Surrey, in late 1899, son of Thomas William Markham a, Carman and Keturah Markham (nee Packman). One of six children.
He was Baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Penge, Surrey, on 18th August 1905.
1901 Census records Sydney aged 1, living with his parents, brothers Thomas (5), Cecil (4) and sister Keturah (3) at, 15 Mauleverer Road, Lambeth, London & Surrey.
His father Thomas William Markham died in 1910, aged 37.
1911 Census, Sydney (11), his widowed mother and his five siblings are now living at 2 Willow Cottages, Goff’s Oak, Herts.
Wartime Service
As soon as he was of the right age Sydney travelled to the County Town of Hertford to enlist posted to the Kings Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) and issued with the service number 47662.
On completion of his training, he was sent to the Western Front, initially with the 12th Battalion, KRRC later transferred to the 18th Battalion, KRRC.
He died on 23rd October 1918 of wounds received in action, aged 19. He is buried in the CWGC Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France.
Additional Information
His mother Keturah received a Dependents Pension of 7/6 a week from 29th April 1919, and his effects of £7-8-8, pay owing and his war gratuity of £5-0-00.
His uncle, 202971 Private Hedley James Packman of the East Surrey Regiment, was killed in action on 19th July 1917, in France, aged 39, he has no known grave, he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the missing. (His mother's younger brother).
In June 1997 Broxbourne Borough Council received a suggestion from the Chairman of Goff's Oak Community Association to name roads to commemorate the men who lost their lives in the two world wars who are displayed on the Goff's Oak War Memorial. It was decided that these names should be used for the large development in Hammond Street Road, this soldier has one of the surnames chosen: "Markham Road" – the reason for the names selected (as opposed to others) is not known.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Brian Lodge
