Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

age 18

Arthur Brooker

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A. Brooker
Service no. 30907
Private, Devonshire Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Died of wounds at about age 18 on 24 April 1918
Remembered at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France

Information from the 1911 census

rthur Brooker is the youngest person in his household at 36 Rutland Street, South Lambeth. His mother, Annie Brooker, 53, was a widow from Wroughton in Wiltshire. Annie had had 10 children (all survived) and she lived with 7 of them (6 sons and a daughter) in 5 rooms. The children on the census were:
Joseph Brooker, 27, a locomotive fireman
John Brooker, 23, a goods porter
Charles Brooker, 21, a bricklayer’s labourer
Frederick Brooker, 19, an office boy
Albert Brooker, 17, a messenger
Elsie Brooker, 15
Arthur Brooker, 12
All but Annie were born in Lambeth.

Sydney Walter Billingsley

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S. W. Billingsley
Service no. 4001
Rifleman, London Regiment (First Surrey Rifles), 1st/21st Battalion
Killed in action age 18 on 12 September 1916 (Billingsley’s enlistment record shows that he claimed to be 19)
CWGC: “Son of Mrs A. H. Handel, of 18a Morat Street, Brixton.”
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, France and on the war shrine at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell Park Road, London SW9 0DA

Brother of George Frederick Billingsley
Stepson of Harry Frank Handel

Information from British Army WWI Service Records

Sydney Walter Billingsley, 5 foot 2, 8 stone and 33 inches around the chest, enlisted at Camberwell on 28 May 1915. He was 19 and his war lasted just 1 year and 107 days.

The military record Army Form W. 5080, undated but probably completed in 1919, shows that he was survived by a full brother, Albert William Billingsley, 26; full sisters, Winnie Billingsley, 17, and Eva Billingsley, 23, as well as three half-siblings: Robert Handel, 10, Arthur Handel, 7, Ida Helen Handel, 3, and his mother, Ada Handel. His brother George Frederick Billingsley died in 1918 at the age of 24.

Billingsley was hospitalised at least 4 times – each time with pyrescia or fever. He was disciplined at least 10 times, his crimes including “breaking out of camp” (twice) and having dirty equipment; hesitating to obey an order; being late for parade. It is clear that he and Army life were not a good combination.

Before joining up, Billingsley was an electrical engineer’s assistant. He lived with his family at 2 Arlington Mansions, Morat Street, London SW9.