Monday, June 27, 2011

William Albert Foord

As a result of correspondence from Chris Green, I am happy to include another Chailey man on the roll of honour for the village. Chris writes:

"While carrying out family research I have visited Chailey on a couple of occasions.

My interest is in the Foord family to whom I am related through my maternal Grandmother, L Foord.

Looking at your WW1 Chailey 1914-1918 website I was surprised to see no mention
of my first Cousin one removed, William Foord. He is apparently not listed on the Chailey War memorial, however he is shown on the WW1 commemorative board at Eastbourne Town Hall.

His family, my Grandmother’s brother lived at Cinder Hill, Chailey. One of William’s sister also attended Chailey Heritage School.

William died 25 June 1916. I have visited the family grave at St Peter Chailey & he is commemorated there.

Here are his details for your information.

Private William Albert Foord No.178, 11th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment
Died 25 June 1916 age 18yr 345 days.
Died of wounds near Richelbourg L’Avoue
Buried Boulogne Eastern Cemetery."


William Albert Foord, RIP.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Chris Green, who I have corresponded with, comments that William Albert Foord is named on the grave stone of his parents Albert and Mary Jane in Chailey where they moved to from Willingdon sometime after their son's death. However William was not a Chailey man. William Albert was born in East Dean and the family moved to Ocklynge Cottages in Willingdon when he was between the age of 1 and 2 years old and 8 younger siblings were born there. Parish records show that he was a scholar at the village church school and also a choir boy in the parish church. These details were also recorded in the August 1916 parish magazine when his death was announced. At the time of his enlistment at Eastbourne on 5 Sept 1914 and his death from wounds on 25 June 1916 in 13th General Hospital Boulogne his address is Ocklynge Cottages Willingdon. He is therefore correctly recorded on the war memorial in Willingdon parish church and in the memorial hall built to honour the memory of the young men of Willingdon killed in WW1. Some Willingdon casualties, William included, are also recorded on the Eastbourne Town Hall memorial. There is no evidence that William Albert Foord ever lived in Chailey but rather spent all but his first year in Willingdon. It is not unsual that the name of a son who was a casualty in the war was recorded on the parent's grave stone. I hope this information might be helpful. Rosalind Hodge Archivist Willingdon Church.

Paul Nixon said...

Thanks very much for taking the time to add this useful information about William Albert Foord, Rosalind; much appreciated.

Paul

Richard Riddell said...

Interestingly, my great-uncle shares the same name, William Albert Foord. He was born March 22, 1896 Hastings, England. Died at Vimy Ridge April 28, 1917 and is buried at Pas de Calais. I wonder if the two men were related at all? It seems that the Foord name is prominent in East Sussex.