Name
John McDonald Ayre
31 July 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/05/1917
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sapper
238869
Royal Engineers
Railway Operating Division
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WESTBURY CEMETERY, WILTSHIRE
Plot 91 and 92, Row C, Grave 631.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Not on the Hemel Hempstead memorials
Pre War
John McDonald Ayre was born on 31 July 1891 in Hemel Hempstead, the son of John McDonald and Rosa Ayre and one of 3 children. He was baptised on 30 August 1891 at St Mary’s, Apsley End, where his parents had married on 2 November 1889.
On the 1901 Census, the family were living at 3 Eunice Villas, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, when his father was working as a Railway Clerk. By 1911 they had moved to 16 Bridge Street, Hemel Hempstead and John was working as a Goods Clerk for the Railway Company, whilst his father was a Railway Passenger Clerk.
He married Mabel Frances Langdon on 8 September 1915 at All Saints, Westbury, Wiltshire and they lived at 111 St James' Road, Watford.
His father died in 1916 aged 44 and his mother Rose died 1916 aged 50 both in the Hemel Hempstead, Herts, District.
Their son John McDonald was born in Westbury on 14 July 1917 and Mabel later lived at 8 Eden Terrace, Westbury, Wilts.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in St Pancras, London and served with the Royal Engineers as a Sapper with the Railway Operating Division on the Western Front.
He died on 27 May 1917 at the Military Hospital, Berrington, Shrewsbury from Tubercule of the Lung (Pulmonary Tuberculosis) which he was said to have contracted overseas.
Additional Information
His widow Mabel received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £4 3s 11d. She also received a pension of 18s 9d per week for herself and her child. She was granted probate on 28 June 1917 with effects of £89 12s. Mabel remarried in 1922 at Holy Trinity, Heywood, Wilts, to Charles Victor Niven, and died in 1978 in the New Forest, Hants, district aged 92.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
