No.1601985, Gunner, William James STEGGLES
Aged 35
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William James Steggles was born in Soham (Newmarket Q4-1910 3B:426), son of Charles and Laura STEGGLES (née MUSK).
1911 census...Aged 6 months, he was at Tanners Lane, Soham with his father Charles STEGGLES [26] chauffeur/gardener, born Isleham and his mother Laura [29] born Fordham. He attended Soham Grammar school from 1922 to 1929. His mother died in 1926. In the 1939 register the family were at 58 Downfields, Soham. Father Charles [22-5-1885], a widower chauffeur/gardener and 3 ladies, Sarah HUSK, Ethel MANN and Rebecca SHATTEN. |
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He attested for the Royal Artillery , 1st A.A. Battery, in 1940. By March 1945 the Japanese were in retreat in Burma, the Allies making use of Karen guerillas to delay them with ambush after ambush. The race was on to re-take Rangoon before the monsoon, and it was, on May 3rd. Exactly where they were when William Steggles was killed in not known. William was originally buried in Mandalay War Cemetery but moved in 1950's when permanent maintenance there was no longer possible |
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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