LUNNON, William James


No.13/1062, Trooper, William James LUNNON
Aged 28


4th (Waikato) Auckland Mounted Rifles, New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Died of his Wounds on Friday, 16th November 1917


William James Lunnon was born in Camden Town, St.Pancras, London on 15th July 1889 (Pancras Q3-1889 1B:156) son of James Alfred and Sarah LUNNON (née BYFORD).

1891 census...Aged 1, he was at 40 Chalk Farm Road, St Pancras with his father James A LUNNON [35] greengrocer/fruiterer, born Mill Ed, Herefordshire; his mother Sarah [38] born Hundon, Suffolk; sisters Nellie M [9] born Kentish Town and Annie M [5] born Chalk Farm, London; brother Alfred [7] born Chalk Farm. Their book-keeper was Caroline ORRISS [30] born Hundon ( apparently his aunt).

1901 census... Aged 11, he was still at 40 Chalk Farm Road with his parents; sisters Nellie M and Annie M; brother Alfred (fruiterer/greengrocer) and his widowed grandmother Elizabeth LUNNON [79] born Rickmansworth.

1911 census...Aged 22, a fruiterer, he was assisting brother Alfred and sister Nellie in the business at 40 Chalk Farm Road. Also present were uncle and aunt, William BARWICK [57] born York and Mirriam BARWICK [60] born Hundon. His parents (father now retired) and sister Annie May were at The Limes, North Street, Hundon. All four siblings survive.

He may well be the W.J. LUNNON aged 22 (albeit recorded as labourer) who sailed from London to Wellington, New Zealand on the SS "Ruahine" on 5th June 1913.

CWGC have his parents address as Briar House, Chevington, Bury St.Edmunds. It seems likely that the family bought property in Kedington for William but he left for New Zealand and quite probably never actually lived in Kedington. Certainly so far no documentary evidence has been found.


Du Ruvigny's Roll of Honour has:-
LUNNON, William James, Trooper, No.13/1062, 4th Waikatos, 5th Reinforcement, Aukland Mounted Rifles, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, yst.s.of James Alfred Lunnon, of Kedington, near Haverhill, co. Suffolk, by his wife, Sarah, dau of Samuel Orriss; born Camden Town, London, N.W.,15 July 1889; educ. Haverstock Hill County Council School there; went to New Zealand in 1913 , and settled at Fencourt Delivery, Cambridge, as a Dairy Farmer; volunteered for Imperial Service and joined the Auckland Mounted Rifles in Feb 1915; served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Egypt and Palestine from 23rd Jan.1916, and died at Anzac Receiving Station 16 Nov. 1917, of wounds received in action the previous day; unm.


His NZ Army records have him enlisting on 15th February 1915. He was living at c/0 A.H.Jamieson, Fencourt, Cambridge NZ, working as a farm hand for G and W BEER, in Fencourt. He gave his date of birth as 15th July 1889, inLondon, England, father James Alfred LUNNON, Whyberries Farm, Kedington, England (later at Briar Cottages, Chevington).
He was 5 feet 4 inches (162.6 cm) tall, weighed 143 lbs (65.1 kg), chest 31" to 37" (78.4 to 94 cm), blue eyes, light brown hair, a Methodist. He sailed from New Zealand on 13th June 1915 on Transport #25.
He arrived at the Suez Canal (Zeitoun) on 23rd January 1916, posted to 5th Reinforcements Egypt on 1st August 1916 and to Auckland Mounted Rifles on 20th October 1916. He was attached to Anzac Rest Camp from 29th July to 10th August 1917.
Wounded in action by gun shot wounds to the abdomen on 14th November 1917, he was taken to Anzac Receiving Station where he died on the 16th.








photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission



William Lunnon is buried in Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel, grave M:16

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


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