William George Field was born c.1884 the son of George and Mary Field, his birth being registered in the 1st quarter of 1884 in the Camberwell Registration District, Surrey (now Greater London). He was baptised on 3 July 1885, jointly with his brother John Thomas Field, at St Luke’s Church, Peckham, London, where in the baptismal register their family were shown as living at 73 Tilson Road, Peckham and that their father was a Labourer.
He was shown as William Field, aged 6 years, in the 1891 census, living in four rooms at 68 East Surrey Grove, Camberwell, London, with his parents: George Field - a general labourer aged 36 years and Mary Field - aged 35 years, together with his four siblings: Thomas Field, aged 9 years; Elizabeth Field, aged 5 years; Ethel Field, aged 4 years and Alice Field, aged 1 year.
When the 1901 census was undertaken he was listed as William Field, aged 16 years and a labourer, residing in four rooms at 61 Cator Street, Camberwell, with his parents: George Field - an engine cleaner at an iron works aged 49 years and Mary Field - aged 47 years, together with his five siblings: Thomas Field - a dyer and bleacher aged 19 years; Elizabeth Field - a tobacco leaf stripper aged 15 years; Ethel Field - a domestic nurse aged 14 years; Alice Field, aged 10 years and Mabel Field, aged 7 years, both of whom were attending school.
In late 1903, as a carman, he enlisted in the East Lancashire Regiment, service number 8030.
On 7 October 1913 he married Emily Letitia Gildersleve (1891-1971) at St Luke’s Parish Church, Camberwell, London, where in the marriage register he is shown as aged 30 years, a bachelor and a postman residing at 40 Graylands Road, Peckham, whilst his wife was recorded as aged 21 years, a spinster also of the same address, the daughter of Matthew Gildersleve, a deceased collar maker.
In March 1914 he was appointed as Postman at the London Western District Office.
On the outbreak of World War One he was recalled to his regiment and was serving in their 1st Battalion when he entered France on 20 August 1914. He died of wounds, aged 31 years, on 22 September 1914 at No.2 Casualty Clearing Hospital at Bailleul, France. His body was buried in Grave 2 in Neuilly-St Front Communal Cemetery, 18 Rue de la Libération, 02470 Neuilly-Saint-Front, France.
On 8 January 1915 his army effects totalling £1-7s-2d were sent to his widow and she was also sent his £5-0s-0d war gratuity on 3 September 1919. He was posthumously awarded the 1914 Star with the '5TH AUG.-22ND NOV. 1914' Clasp, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal which were sent to his father at 230 Southampton Street, Camberwell, SE5.
He is shown as 'FIELD, W.G.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, on the A Street Near You website, on the London WW1 war memorial website and on Page 126 of Post Office Fellowship's Book of Remembrance 1914-1920.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them