Name
William Rawlings
10 Apr 1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/08/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
24613
Suffolk Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Barkway memorials, St Andrew's Church memorial, West Wratting, Cambs.
Pre War
William John Rawlings was born in West Wratting, Cambridgeshire on 10 April 1890, the son of Albert and Annie Rawlings and one of five children. He was baptised in West Wratting on 5 October 1890,
On the 1891 Census the family were living in West Wratting where his father was working as a farmer and harness maker. By 1901 they had moved to High Street, West Wratting and remained there in 1911 at which time William was working as a baker.
He married Emilie Bysouth in the Royston registration area (probably Barkway) in early 1916 (one set of banns from West Wratting were recorded on 30 January 1916). They already had a child, Dorothy Elizabeth Bysouth born on 12 September 1912.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Newmarket and joined the 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment.
William was killed in action on 16 August 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £2 9s 3d. She also received a pension of £17s 6d a week for herself and her daughter. Emilie's/Emily's address on pension records was given as Barkway, Royston, Herts.
On the 1921 Census Emily and daughter Dorothy were living with Eliza Bysouth, Emily's mother, at High Street, Barkway.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
