WHEAL, William


No.37173, Private, William WHEAL
Aged 23


71st Coy, Machine Gun Corps(Infantry)
formerly 24033, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on 1st May 1917


William Wheal was born in Basildon (1st qtr 1894 Billericay 4a:495) son of John and Mary WHEAL(née BOATMAN)

1901 census...Aged 7, he was at Frantons Farm, Nevendon with his father John WHEAL [30] horseman on farm born Hutton, Essex; his mother Mary A [28] born Hatfield Peverel; brothers John [9] born Pitsea and George A [11 months] born North Benfleet; sisters Ethel J [4] and Elsie A [2] both born Basildon.

1911 census...Aged 17, a butcher's assistant, he was "near the Smithy", Chevington with his parents; brothers Jack (farm labourer), George, and Ernest [6] born Chevington; sisters Elsie and Rose [1] born Chevington.

On the pension card his mother was at Chevington



He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds
The war diary of his Company has not been found.





photo Rodney Gibson

William Wheal is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France panel 136

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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