No.2452, Private, William TUFFS
Aged 42
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William Tuffs was born on 15th November 1873 in Shouldham, Norfolk (Downham Q4-1893 4B:328) son of Thomas and Sarah TUFFS (née OLDHAM ).
1881 census...Aged 7, he was at Shouldham with his father Thomas TUFFS, [31] gamekeeper, born Berechurch, Essex, his mother Sarah [34] born Wellesbourne, Warwickshire, brother Frederick [4] and sister Eleanor M [2] and brother Thomas H [9 months] born in Shouldham, and his grandmother Mary Tuffs [65] born Walpole, Norfolk. The family name is transcribed as LUFFS. 1891 census...Aged 17, a game keeper, he was at Cheveley Park, Cheveley with his parents, sister Eleanor and brother Thomas H, sisters Emma [9], Annie E [7] both born in Shouldham and Fanny [4] born in Marham, and brother Robert [1] born in Marham. On 10th April 1891 he enlisted at Bury St Edmunds and on 16th joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers No 3151. He gave his age as 18 years 3 months, was 5ft 5 in tall, weighed 120 lbs chest 31.5" to 33", grey eyes, dark brown hair, Church of England. There was a query about his chest measurements. He joined the 2nd battalion on 2nd July 1891 but on 28th February 1893 he bought himself a discharge for £19, returning to his parents' home at Cheveley Park. He married Clara HARVEY [7-10-1872] on 12th September 1894 in Cheveley (St.Mary's) (Newmarket Q3-1894 3B:1015) 1901 census...Aged 28, he was at Cheveley Park as a gamekeeper, with his wife Clara [28] born Cheveley and three daughters Edith E [3] Noel K [2] and Olive M [1] and his sister in law Jessie HARVEY [26] born Cheveley. 1911 census...Aged 37, a gamekeeper, he was at Owlsebury Bottom, Morestead, Hampshire with his wife, daughters Evelyn (Edith E ?), Olive, Jessie [3] and Bessie ( under 1 month) both born in Morestead and sons Thomas [7] born Cheveley, Truman [6] and Robert [4] both born in Littlebury, Essex. Clara had borne 14 children in 16 years but 3 had died. His father died in Cheveley in 1913. |
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He enlisted in Winchester. Unable to trace his Battalion but deaths in his battalion at the time were sporadic and no more than one a day so they were unlikely at that time to have been in any major action. Thanks to his great grandson however it transpires that he died from heatstroke. (copies of death certificate below and also his marriage certificate, thanks to Michael Tuffs)
All that remains of over 2,800 graves - shocking click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
