9437 Private William Thomas Hamlyn
9th(Service)Battalion
Devonshire Regiment
1st July 1916
Born in Christow, Devon in 1896.
His parents were George Hamlyn(1871-1944) and Caroline Townsend(1867-18/08/1951). They were married in 1891.
William had 4 brothers;
Frederick George(1894-26/01/1915), Edward John(27/07/1902-1983), Charles Herbert(05/01/1904-1978) and Reginald Henry(24/01/1908-22/05/1941).
He also had 3 sisters; Elsie Mary(05/07/1898-21/06/1986),Maud Emma(22/03/1900-1987) and
Ethel Teresa(1910-02/06/1950).
In the 1901 census,the family were recorded as living in Upper Town,Christow,Exeter, Devon. George was employed as a farm labourer.
The 1911 census showed that the family had moved to
Sea Hill Cottage,Christow,Exeter,Devon.
Both George and William were now working as farm labourers.
I can find no date or place of enlistment ,but his date of disembarkation into France was on 22/08/1914.
He was killed in action on 01/07/1916.
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star with clasp,
the 1914-1918 British War and Allied Victory medals.
To earn a clasp for your star you had to actually serve under the fire of the enemy in France & Belgium between 05/08/1914 and midnight 22/11/1914 - 23/11/1914. His mother made an application for his clasp on 18/01/1920.
His brother Frederick was 8916 Private in 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment. He died of wounds on 26/01/1915.
He is buried in Merville Communal Cemetery, Merville,Department du Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais,France.
Reference I.K.6.
For the loss of her 2 sons, Caroline was awarded a pension of 10/- per week from 06/11/1918.
Another brother Reginald , serving in WW2 as Petty Officer D/J 112336RN, was reported missing,assumed dead on war duty,whilst serving with HMS Gloucester in Crete on 22/05/1941. He is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 45 Column 2.