Name
William Dilks
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/03/1918
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
12527
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
RIBECOURT BRITISH CEMETERY
Special Memorial Row B, Grave 29.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Not on the Bushey memorials(*1)
Pre War
William Dilks was one of six children to William and Sarah Ann (née Glenister) Dilks. His father was a bricklayer.
His parents married 9 April 1883 at St Matthew’s, Oxhey, Herts. and the family home was at 116, Pinner Road, Oxhey. Sarah died 1923 in Watford aged 65, and was buried 16 February in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; William died 1936 in Watford aged 86, and was buried 2 November, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
William was born 1 June 1890 in Bushey, Herts, and baptised 12 September 1890 at St Matthew’s, Oxhey. He resided in Watford.
On the 1891 Census, William was aged 9 months and living in Oxhey with his parents and three siblings. By the time of the 1901 Census the family continued to live in Oxhey but William, aged 10, now had five siblings. He had remained in Oxhey by the 1911 Census, living with his parents and two siblings, and was working as a labourer aged 20.
Wartime Service
William enlisted in Watford as Private 12527 in the Bedfordshire Regiment and served with the 4th Battalion in France and Flanders. His qualifying date for overseas being 30 July 1915. He was killed in action in the front line near Ribecourt-la-Tour, on 1 March 1918.
His pension record gives his mother, Sarah Dilks, as the dependant, living at 103, Liverpool Road, Watford, and awards a pension of 7/- from 10 September 1918. Sarah’s name is later crossed through and replaced by his father, William.
He is remembered with honour at Ribecourt British Cemetery and is also commemorated on the memorial at St Matthew’s Church, Oxhey.
William is also commemorated on his sister Emily ROLPH's grave in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Additional Information
There is also an article about, and a Death announcement for, William in the West Herts and Watford Observer, dated 16 March 1918; plus an In Memorium in the issue dated 8 March 1919. His brother-in-law Walter ROLPH died 16 September 1916 and also features on Watford Borough Roll of Honour. *1 Records found have recorded his birthplace as Bushey. This may be the case, however Bushey was the main postal location given for nearby villages and hamlets, so it may be that this information is misleading. If more accurate information found this will be updated.
William Dilks and his brother-in-law Walter Rolph are also commemorated on the family headstone in Watford Cemetery. Their part of the inscription reads:
IN EVERLASTING MEMORY OF
WALTER ROLPH, KILLED IN ACTION SEPT. 17. 1916, AGED 29 YEARS.
ALSO OF
WILLIAM DILKS. SON OF THE ABOVE [Sarah Ann Dilks], KILLED IN ACTION MARCH 4. 1918.
SAFE AND IN THE ARMS OF JESUS, SAFE ON HIS GENTLE BREAST.
Unfortunately, William’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
