Birth | 1900, Fleet, Hants | |
Parents | Son of John & Emily Ayres | |
Residence | Alton, Hants | |
Occupation | ||
Enlisted | Alton, Hants | |
Regiment | 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment | |
Regimental No: | 40145 | |
Rank | Private | |
Service Record | ||
Death | 11th June, 1918, killed in action - aged 18 | |
Theatre of War | France & Flanders | |
Commemoration | Gonnehem British Cemetery, Pas de Calais (Plot D24) | |
Medals | Victory Medal, British War Medal | |
William Ayres was born in Fleet in 1900. He was the son of John and Emily Ayres, who, at the time of the 1911 Census, were a gypsy family, living in a tent on Potters Field, Church Crookham, some seven miles north of Froyle. He enlisted in nearby Alton with the 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment as 40145 Private William Ayres. Although we have no proof of where William was living at the time of his enlistment, it obviously was at Froyle, as there is, sadly, mention of him in the Alton Gazette of 5th July 1918: | ||
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He was killed in action in France on 11th June 1918, aged 18 years. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. | ||
Private William Ayres is laid to rest in the Gonnehem British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, Grave D24. | ||
Ayres were living in Froyle, most probably in tents, from 1910 through to 1921. Paul & Rose Ayres, for example, had two of their children, Mary & Leonard, baptised on 21st September 1910 and another, Lizzie, on 4th September 1921. Gypsy children were usually baptised at hop picking time. Perhaps this family was related to William and put his name forward for inclusion on the War Memorial. |