Ashtead War Memorials - WWI
Pte Henry May
8th Bn, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Henry May, senior, [born Baughurst, Hants., ca 1825] appears to have fathered a number of sons in the course two marriages including, from the first, James [born Newbury, Berks, ca 1854], and, from a later union with Mary Hancock [born Tidcombe, Wilts., ca 1835] registered Tiverton, Devon, 3/1856, Frederick [birth registered Reading, Berks., 3/1862]
Frederick’s marriage to Annie Chipper [birth registered Reading 3/1865] was registered at Sevenoaks, 6/1886 followed in the same office by the arrival in Brasted, Kent, of their first-born son, Henry, 6/1887.
By 1891, the Mays had moved to Ashtead where James set himself up as Carman & Nurseryman at Lynwood, lying off Woodfield Lane, later becoming a Contractor & Landscape-Gardener. Frederick may then be found in Curwood’s Cottages on Ashtead Common (behind the pond on Barnett Wood Lane), a Gardener presumably working alongside his half-brother, with his wife and two children – “Harry” and Frederick, junior.
In 1901, Henry, senior, aged 75, had come to live with James’ family. His grandson Henry May’s marriage to Eva Cook was registered in Epsom 9/1912
Soldiers who died in the Great War tells us that Henry May [junior] born Brasted [mis-transcribed Baisterd], Kent, resident in London, enlisted as Private 24935 in the East Surrey Regiment at Kingston upon Thames. He was, however, transferred to 8th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers with a new service number, 40990.
As part of 49th Brigade in 16th (Irish) Division, his unit arrived in France during February 1916. It was involved in the Battle of Pilkem Ridge that started 31 July 1917 and lasted until 2 August 1917. Henry was wounded and died on 7 August 1917 to be interred at Brandhoek New Military Cemetery.
During the First World War, Brandhoek was within the area comparatively safe from shellfire, which extended beyond Vlamertinghe Church. Field ambulances were posted there continuously. Until July 1917 burials had been made in the Military Cemetery, but the arrival of the 32nd, 3rd Australian and 44th Casualty Clearing Stations in preparation for the new Allied offensive launched that month made it necessary to open the New Military Cemetery, followed in August by the New Military Cemetery No 3. Brandhoek New Military Cemetery contains 530 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and 28 German war graves. The burials are of July and August 1917.
James May & Son, Contractors, ceased to operate from Lynwood, Woodfield Lane before 1918 but F May continued to appear in an Ashtead Street Directory, on Barnett Wood Lane, for that year. Subsequently, his name also disappears from the record. Henry's widow E (Eva) May, is listed by CWGC at 76, Bronson Rd, Raynes Park, London.
research: Brian Bouchard, Ann Williams contributing: if
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page added 31 Mar 2009