Name
William Mead
18 October 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/10/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
15798
Suffolk Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 37 and 38.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial,
St John the Evangelist Memorial, Boxmoor
Pre War
William Mead (known as Willie) was born on 18 October 1891 in Hemel Hempstead, the son of William and Emma Mead, and one of 10 children.
He was educated at Bury Mill End School from 1897 before moving to Boxmoor School on 25 March 1901. On the 1901 Census the family were living at 17 Paradise, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, where his father was working as a Bricklayer's labourer. He left Boxmoor school in May 1903 and finished his schooling at Two Waters Board School, leaving in 1904, aged thirteen.
By the 1911 Census he was a boarder at the home of Alfred Butterfield, a widower, and his family at 47 Albert Road, Luton, Beds, when he was working as a Tramway Conductor for the Luton Corporation. His parents and 6 siblings remained living at 17 Paradise, Boxmoor.
Wartime Service
He enlisted at Watford and served with the 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, receiving his basic training in Aldershot. The battalion landed at Boulogne, France on 30 May 1915 and received more instruction before taking over a section of the Front Line at Poegsteert Wood on 23 June 1915.
They were in action in the Battle of Loos from 30 September 1915, taking over the sector from Gun Trench to Hulluch Quarries, consolidating the position under heavy artillery fire. On 8 September they repelled a heavy German infantry attack and on the 13th took part in the action on the Hohenzollen Redoubt. During this period at Loos, 117 officers and 3237 men of the Division were killed or wounded.
William was killed in action on 18 October 1915 (his 24th birthday), the last day of the Battle of Loos. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £3 and his father received his pay owing of £6 8s 1d. His mother also received a pension of 6 shillings a week.
A memorial service was held at Marlowes Baptist Church on 29 October 1916 for William Mead and seven other members of the congregation who had been killed.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.wartimememoriesproject.com., www.hemelheroes.com
