Name
Wilfred Francis Xavier Santler
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/01/1915
17
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
1749
London Regiment *1
1st/9th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, St Michael and All Angels Church Memorial, Watford, Holy Rood Catholic Church Memorial, Watford
Pre War
Son of Henry Dutton and Ellen (nee O’SULLIVAN) SANTLER.
His parents married 1893 in the Islington, London, district. Henry died 1931 in Watford aged 73, and was buried 7 November in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Ellen died 1963 in St Alban’s, Herts, aged 94, and was buried 12 February, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Wilfred was born 22 March 1897 in Bexleyheath, Kent, and attended Holyrood School, Watford; then Alexandra School, Watford, from 20 September 1909 to 21 March 1911. He resided in Watford.
On the 1901 Census, aged 4 he lived in Bexley, Kent, with his parents and two siblings. On the 1911 Census, a solicitor’s clerk aged 14, he lived in Watford, with his parents and four siblings.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in London 19 May 1914 a clerk; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 4 November 1914, and was killed in action.
Additional Information
Unfortunately, Wilfred’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
There is an article about and a Death announcement for Wilfred in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 16 January 1915; an article in the Watford Illustrated dated 27 March 1915; plus In Memoriams in the issues dated 1 January 1916, 30 December 1916, 5 January 1918 and 4 January 1919.
*1 Probably more correctly (County of London) Bn. London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles).
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
