Cpl. (later Sgt.) William Henry Davey MM, 3205 & 351054 7th London Regiment

[Ivor Anderson]

William Henry Davey MM, 3205 & 351054 7^th London Regiment

 

1901 52 Crooke Road, Deptford - parents George & Fanny.

Siblings George (19), James (18), Edith (16), Elizabeth (14), Thomas (12), Alfred (10), William (3), Frederick (1, b. Deptford).

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record/browse?id=gbc%2f1901%2f0524-0525%2f0661

1911 52 Crooke Street, Deptford – parents George & Fanny, brothers Frederick & Harry.

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBC%2F1911%2FRG14%2F02605%2F0473&parentid=GBC%2F1911%2FRG14%2F02605%2F0473%2F3

 

Service discharge papers on FMP: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f007287216%2f00455&parentid=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f7287216%2f34%2f454

Give the following info: 52 Crooke Road, Deptford, London SE8 at discharge on 30 March 1919 (Rank Sgt.).

Born 19 April 1897, Rotherhithe. Enlisted 19 Nov 1914 aged 17 years 8 months.

Served 4 years 133 days. Home 19 Nov 1914 to 25 May 1916.

France 26 May 1916 to 27 Nov 1917 - 1 year 186 days.

Parents George & Fanny. Occ Printer. Fair hair, grey eyes. Church – Congregational.

 

MM in LG 16 August 1917 as a corporal: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30234/supplement/8420  MM card (TNA):

One of 19 OR MMs for Messines on 7 June 1917 – MM Bar to Pte. W M Baker 351055.  7th London Regt. war diary (27 June 1917) at TNA:

 

7th London Regt. service summary: https://wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/battalion.php?pid=711

Edited 24 October , 2023 by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[Matlock1418]

Sgt. William Henry DAVEY, 351054, London Regiment

A pension index card at WFA/Fold3 [for unspecified disability claim] shows:

Disembodied 30.3.19.  His claim was Rejected

M

[Ivor Anderson]

1 hour ago, Matlock1418 said:

A pension index card at WFA/Fold3 [for unspecified disability claim] shows:

Disembodied 30.3.19.  His claim was Rejected

Thanks M. His discharge doc mentions 'right knee aches after walking some distance', but concludes 'no disability discovered'. 

Added note states: 'caused while playing football'. Front page at FMP:

Edited 24 October , 2023 by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

Another William Davey (722327) won the MM with 24th London Regt. in 1917. MM index card from TNA posted below.

His was gazetted on 18 July 1917: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30188/supplement/7277

Service record states123 Silvermere Rd., Catford. Attested as 5359, 3 Dec 1915, aged 25.5 years, clerk.

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F007287215%2F00654&parentid=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F7287215%2F45%2F654

Mentioned in the 24th Bn. war diary on 23rd June 1917 (TNA). 18 MM ribbons were presented on 24th June, possibly for the 'attack' on 7th June:

Edited 26 October , 2023 by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[Ivor Anderson]

Thanks to Peter for sourcing this NP report:  Norwich Mercury Saturday October 20th 1917. MILITARY MEDAL

"The welcome news has been received by Mrs. A.J. Powell, Lakenheath, that her nephew, Pte. W. Davey, London Regiment, has been awarded the Military Medal. This was for a smart piece of work on the lines of communication. Of an officer and eight men told off for this work only four reached their objective, but they had the satisfaction of capturing over a score of prisoners, who had been sniping them, on their journey of about two hundred yards to the second Geman lines. Private Davey was in hospital for some time after the affair with a badly injured knee, but is now fit and well again. He is the son of the late Mr. George Davey, for some years stationmaster at Crofton Park, London, and grandson of the late Mr. Maurice Davey, Fakenham, near Thetford. The gallant soldier’s father was a native of that village."

On the 1901 Census of England & Wales there is a 48 year old married Railway Station Master, George Davey, born Fakenham, Suffolk, who was recorded as head of the household at 165a Brockley Road, Deptford. He has a 50 year old wife Ellen, born Teynham, Kent. Among their children is a 10 year old son William, born Cobham, Kent. On the 1861 Census of England & Wales the 8 year old George “Robt” has a father Maurice.

We think this relates to William Davey 722327 who won the MM with 24th London Regt. in 1917.

Edited 25 October , 2023 by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[Ivor Anderson]

The National Archive has a MM card for the other man mentioned in the War Diary, 721103 Ernest Frederick Charles Watkins 1/24th Londons:

Thanks to Charlie for this analysis:

721099 Charles Richard Weir 24th Londons had previously been 3352
721103 E F C Watkins 24th Londons - MIC shows 3363 24th Londons, subsequently 601962 18th Londons. First landed in France 15th March 1915, so part of the original deployment overseas of the 1/24th Battalion. https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/5030980:1262?tid=&pid=&queryId=48ac0172a92a7e963fb26a4e330c7cba&_phsrc=qzF11365&_phstart=successSource

721105 Sidney Clement Day died in France in 1918 but has no MiC.
721106 Albert Edward Corder, 24th Londons, was previously 3369.

Given the joint entry in the War Diary there must be a strong likelihood that the narrative given by William Davey in his letter to his aunt is similar to the MM circumstances that applied to Ernest Watkins. However, the MM authority refs are different & the schedule nos. are not consecutive (93697 & 94435).

Edited 26 October , 2023 by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info