The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private E E Bloxham

Private Ernest Edward BLOXHAM, G/17779, 10th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, (formerly 3218, Royal Fusiliers), killed in action, Tower Hamlets, Ridge, Flanders, France, 21st September 1917, age 33.

10th May 1884, born, Avon Dasset, Warwickshire, son of George and Ann Bloxham, of Hill View, Avon Dassett, near Leamington, Warwickshire.

29th June 1884, Avon Dasset, Warwickshire, baptism of Ernest Edward Bloxham, son of George (labourer) and Ann Bloxham.

1911 Census - Avon Dasset, Leamington, Warwickshire - George Bloxham, head, age 55, married, general farm labourer, born Warmington; Ann Bloxham, wife, age 55, married 31 years, 5 children, all still alive, born Avon Dasset, Warwickshire; Ernest Edward Bloxham, son, age 26, single, general farm labourer, born Avon Dasset, Warwickshire.

7th July 1913, East Peckham, Malling, Kent, married Ethel Lacey Wood, spinster, (only daughter of Philip & Clara Wood of Beltring, Paddock Wood, Kent), of St Johns Villas, Maidstone Road, Paddock Wood, Kent / 1, Hamlet Cottages, Tudeley Road, Beltring, Paddock Wood, Kent.

Children - Allan Raymond Bloxham, born 27th November 1913, Yalding, Kent; Maurice Gordon Bloxham, born 27th September 1916, Brenchley, Kent.

Enlisted Paddock Wood, Kent, age 31, height 5ft 6½ inches, weight 176½ lbs. Resided St Johns Villas, Maidstone Road, Paddock Wood, Kent. Formerly farm labourer.

Home 7th December 1915 to 5th October 1916; BEF 6th October 1916 to 21st September 1917.

7th December 1915, enlisted; 8th December 1915, to Army Reserve; 19th June 1916, mobilized & posted 27th Reserve Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, Service No.3218; 1st September 1916, transferred to 103 Training Reserve, Service No. TR/10/56244; 3rd October 1916, transferred to Royal West Kent Regiment; 6th October 1916, posted BEF & 10th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 7th June 1917, 140 Field Ambulance, wounded, gun shot wound, chin; 7th June 1917, 36 Canadian Clearing Station; 8th June 1917, admitted 11 General Hospital, Camiens; 2nd July 1917, 40 Infantry Base Depot, Etaples; 28th July 1917, proceeded to rejoin Unit, as a stretcher bearer.

His Commanding Officer wrote: "Your husband was killed on 21st September while attending to a comrades wounds. I was not with the Company at the time and I cannot obtain any details. All I am able to tell you is that your husband was officially reported killed on that date" and another Officer: "Unfortunately it is very little I can tell you, as I was on duty at a dressing station during the fighting of 20-21 September and had no opportunity of seeing our own men. Your husband was killed in the attack on Tower Hamlets Ridge, in front of Ypres, but all I can gather is that he was killed instantly and buried where he fell on the ground he so gallantly helped win from the enemy." Another also wrote: "He was killed doing his duty as a stretcher bearer and the Company has to mourn the loss of another fine fellow. Your son was quite a favourite in the Company and the absence of his genial presence has been felt by all his comrades."

29th April 1918, pension of 22/4 a week awarded to widow and two children.

Buried at Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery, Sp. Mem. A. 2. Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Commemorated at Paddock Wood War Memorial.

This page was last updated on 27-Jan-2017.