William Alfred Lansdowne is not mentioned in Chailey’s parish magazine even though
he was killed in action on 26th February 1916.
Soldiers Died in The Great War notes that R/4188 Rifleman Lansdowne was born in Holborn,
Middlesex, enlisted at Cosckspur Street (Middlesex) and was resident in Chailey,
Sussex. He was
killed in action whilst serving with the 13th King’s Royal Rifle Corps.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (apart from spelling his name incorrectly as Landsdowne)
adds the additional information that he was serving with D Company and was the husband of May Lansdowne, of 46, Millman St.,
Guilford St., Holborn, London. He is buried in the De Cusine Ravine British Cemetery,
Basseux; grave reference G.6.
Thankfully, William’s record survives in the WO 363 ‘burnt documents’
series held at the National Archives in Kew, London, and I
summarise from this, below.
He attested with the King’s Royal Rifle Corps on 11th September 1914, giving his
place of birth as Holborn, London, Middlesex. He was 20 years old and working as a waiter. He was five feet,
four inches tall, had a fair complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He was
given the army service number R/4188
On 7th October 1914 he was posted to the 13th Battalion and he remained with the battalion
in England until 29th July 1915. That was the last time he would have seen his family.
He sailed for France the following day and was in France until he was killed early in 1916.
William had married May West, a spinster, on 8th March 1915, the wedding taking place
in London. She
is recorded in the next of kin section on his service papers, first as “Miss West” (her address given as “Athenaeum
Club, Pall Mall”) and later as “wife: May Lansdowne c/o Mrs Gillis, Warple Way, Wandsworth.” William’s
brother, Victor Arthur Lansdowne, is also recorded in this section, his address given as “Whitehall
[unclear] Club, Westminster].
Given these connections and William’s trade as stated on his attestation paper, it seems reasonable to assume
that he was also working as a waiter in one of these two clubs. Victor would
also serve during the First World War; as an infantryman with the 5th Dorset Regiment.
He survived.
When William sailed for France,
his wife was already four months pregnant. On 28th December 1915, she gave birth
to a baby girl, Vera May Lansdowne, but although William may have been sent photos of her, he certainly never saw her in the
flesh.
Whilst in the army, William was confined to barracks on a number of occasions for various
petty misdemeanours, the last sentence being passed on 15th October 1915 when he was confined to barracks for four days for
“leaving duty without permission” the previous day.
As mentioned earlier, William was killed in action on 26th February 1916. A note in his files records that he was buried the same day at “the military cemetery in the ravine
south east of Bailleullval.”
The month after he was killed, his wife received a pathetic parcel containing her late
husband’s effects. These included one soft helmet, one mouth organ, eleven
postcards, one handkerchief, one penny coin, one notebook, one gospel, one tin box and two photos. These were sent to her at 46 Millman Street,
Guildford Street, [London] WC. She was also sent Army Form B.104-76
and asked to complete various sections of it in order to claim a pension.
Army form W.5080 which lists the names and addresses of a deceased soldier, was completed
by William’s widow on 22nd September 1919. At the time, she was working
at The Girls Heritage, Chailey, and – apart from herself - she noted the following relatives.
Vera May Lansdowne (daughter)
Victor Lansdowne (father)
Emma Lansdowne (mother)
One full blood brother (name and address not recorded, although this is probably Victor
Arthur Lansdowne)
Two half blood brothers (names and addresses not noted)
Two half blood sisters (names and addresses not noted)
Six nephews and nieces (names and addresses not noted)
William is not commemorated on Chailey’s war memorial but may be remembered on
a KRRC memorial and/or one located in the City of London.
It seems likely that his wife had connections with Chailey Heritage at the time of his enlistment and that he had an address
there, even though they were not married until some six months after William had joined up.
