No.31901, Driver, William MAXIM
Aged 40
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William Maxim was born in Cavendish (Sudbury Q4-1875 4A:456), son of Robert and Caroline MAXIM (née ALEFOUNDER). There had been
another child born to Robert and Caroline, also William, born 1869 and died 1874. The census does appear to have taken off 2 years from William[2]
1881 census...Aged 4, he was in Chapel Street, Cavendish with his father Robert MAXIM [39] mat maker; his mother Caroline [34]; sisters Charlotte [15] and Alice [1]; brothers George [12] and John [7]. All were born in Cavendish 1891 census...Aged [14] a maltster he was at Chapel Street, Cavendish with his father Robert MAXIM [49] matting maker (now recorded as born in Hundon); his mother Caroline [44]; sisters Charlotte [25], Alice [11], Annie [7] and Beatrice [6]; brothers John [17] matting maker, David [9] Harry [5] and George [3]; widowed grandmother Eurydice CUTMORE [75]. All except his father were born in Cavendish. 1901 census...Not found in this census. According to the Haverhill Echo, May 19th 1900 a William MAXIM from Cavendish was serving in the RFA in South Africa. He was 31901, Driver William MAXIM (from 85th Battery R.F.A.records) He married Ellen Clara LANE (St George Hospital Square,London Q4-1903 1A:1035) and had a daughter (according to "Soldiers Personal Effects") 1911 census...not found in this census His brother Harry was killed in France in the Australian Army in 1916. see here |
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He enlisted in London on 3rd July 1895 in the York and Lancaster Regiment # 4312, giving his age as 18 years 8 months, a labourer from Cavendish who was a
serving member of the militia. He was 5 feet 4 .75 inches ( 164.4 cm)tall, weighed 116 lbs (52.8 kg), chest 33" to 35" (83.8 to 88.9 cm), fair hair, blue eyes and a Wesleyan. Next
of kin, father Robert MAXIM of High Street, Cavendish.
He joined the regiment at Colchester on 3rd July 1895 and was discharged as medically unfit, due to an infectious disease, on 22nd July 1897. His age had now changed on discharge to 19 years. His medical condition, it was stressed, was not the result of or aggravated by military service and unlikely to prevent him earning a living He then appears it seems in 85th Battery, Royal Field Artillery as Driver William MAXIM #31901 R.F.A. Queens South Africa medal with clasps for Dreifontain, Belfast and Cape Colony. He was transferred from 3rd Depot to 1st Reserves on 17th July 1903 He next appears in the Royal Field Artillery in the Great War, a driver, having been in the employ of London County Council in their Estates and Valuation Department. Their records have him dying of syncope (a condition related to blood pressure and fainting) at Zevecote, Belgium on 25th January 1915 after just one month with the BEF. This LCC record is at variance with CWGC which has him buried originally near Reningelst, whereas Zevecote was on the German side of the front line, near the coast. Several small burial plots and graveyards in the Reningelst area were concentrated to La Clytte in 1919, William amongst them
photo: Rodney Gibson click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
