Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

age 19

Alfred Edward Nunn

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A. E. Nunn
Service no. 63634
Private, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), “A” Coy. 7th Battalion
Died on 10 May 1918, aged 19
CWGC: “Son of Alfred and Emily C. Nunn, of 108 Manor Street, Clapham, London.”
Remembered at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France

Chris Burge writes:

Alfred Edward Nunn was born in 1899 and baptised at St Andrew’s, Stockwell Green on 21 May 1899, the first child of Alfred and Emily Clara Nunn who lived at 7 Landor Road. Alfred’s father worked as a laundry manager and his mother as a laundress. 

The 1901 census shows that they shared their home with a daughter from Alfred’s first marriage (he was widowed). Alfred Snr was now working on the trams. A second son, George William Nunn, was born on 4 February 1903 and baptised at St Andrew’s on 22 February 1903. 

In the 1911 census, the Nunn family now lived in five rooms at 38 Landor Street, close to the Avondale music and dance hall, and the Landor Hotel Public House. Alfred Snr, aged 49, worked for the London County Council tramways as a motorman. Alfred Jnr and George were at school. The property was shared by an elderly widow and her daughter living in two other rooms and a family of three in another two rooms.

Alfred was 15 at the outbreak of war, but  conscription was introduced in 1916 and Alfred was called up early in 1917. The Surrey Recruitment Registers, a rare survival of its type, record Alfred’s details. After reporting at Wandsworth, Alfred was directed to be at Kingston by 30 March where he was assigned the service number 45901 and instructed to join the 23rd Training Reserve Battalion for basic training. Alfred was 18 years and 2 months, 5ft 7in tall, 108 lbs and had a chest size of 34in. His address was 108 Manor Street, Clapham. 

Training complete, Alfred was posted to the 7th Battalion of the Royal West Surrey Regiment. No records exist to say exactly when Alfred was sent to France. Spring 1918 was a time of crisis on the Western Front when the enemy threatened to break through, the 7th RWS were in the forward zone to the east of Amiens. March and April were a time of retreat and counter-attack. An assault on Hangard Wood on 26 April resulted in further casualties, a total of five officers and 141 other ranks. The first week of May was quiet as the 7th RWS worked hard to improve trenches, build shelters and erect barbed wire. The records note on the 4th May 1918, ‘2 O.R. wounded by shell whilst on way to join Battn, in the line’. 

Alfred Edwin Nunn was among the wounded and later died of his wounds on 10 May 1918 in one of Rouen’s many hospitals. 

Alfred Snr and Emily lived in Manor Street, Clapham until Alfred’s death in 1929 at the age of 67. Emily was living in Epping, Essex when she passed away in 1943, aged 75. Alfred’s brother George William died in 1979, aged 76.

Alfred George Murphy

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A. G. Murphy
Service no. 126952
Private, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), 203rd Coy.; formerly 21886, Bedfordshire Regiment*
Born in Lambeth; enlisted in Lambeth
Died on 29 March 1918 at age 19
CWGC: “Son of Mrs Alice Mary Murphy, of 2 Victoria Place, Priory Grove, South Lambeth, London.”
Remembered at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918

MURPHY, A. G., Pte., Devonshire Regt.* and M.G.C.
He joined in February 1917, and was later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps, with which unit he proceeded to the Western Front in the following year. After only a short period of active service, he made the supreme sacrifice, being killed in action on March 29th, 1918. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
“He passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice.”
2, Victoria Place, Priory Grove, S.W.8.
*Discrepancy between the National Roll and Soldiers Died in the Great War

Information from the 1911 census

Alfred George Murphy was a 12-year-old schoolboy in 1911. He lived with his parents and siblings in 5 rooms at 6 Priory Grove. He was one of 7 children. Walter Robert John Murphy, 39, was a butcher from Westminster; Alice Mary Murphy, 37, was also from Westminster.
Walter John Robert Murphy, 16, was an errand boy
Charles Thomas Murphy, 15, was a milkboy
Frederick William Murphy, 13
Alfred George, 12
Harold Edward Murphy, 10
Alice Mary Murphy, 8
John Murphy, 6

William Arthur Alfred Mills

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W. A. Mills
Service no. 30986
Private, Devonshire Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Born in Lambeth; enlisted in Lambeth
Died on 30 May 1918 aged 19
CWGC: “Son of William Hugh and Laura Ellen Mills, of 8, Tradescant Rd, South Lambeth, London.”
Remembered at Chambrecy British Cemetery, France

Information from the 1911 census

William Arthur Alfred Mills was 12 in 1911. He lived with his parents and sisters at 8 Tradescant Road, South Lambeth, where they occupied four rooms. William Hugh Mills, 49, was a railway porter from Islington, north London. Laura Mills, 46, was from Bermondsey. They had three children: Maude Mills, 16, a book folder born in Bethnal Green; William Mills, 12, born in South Lambeth; Alice Mills, 7, born in South Lambeth.

Herbert William May

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H. W. May
Service no. 129402
Private, Machine Gun Corps, 2nd Battalion, formerly 8343, London Regiment
Enlisted at Lambeth
Died of his wounds on 22 October 1918 at age 19
CWGC: “Son of Mr and Mrs W. C. May of 76A Thorparch Road, Wandsworth Road, London. Native of Box, Wiltshire.”
Remembered at Etaples Military Cemetery, France

British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920

Herbert William May first joined the London Regiment in April 1915 when he was about 16. He enlisted at St John’s Hill, Wandsworth and was accepted into the 23rd Battalion of the London Regiment (Territorial Force).

May was 5 feet 7 inches tall, 128 pounds (just over 9 stone) and 35½ inches around the chest (with 2½ inches expansion). His vision was judged to be good as was his physical development. He stated that he was 19.

This was a lie and on Christmas Day 1915 he was discharged “having made a mis-statement as to age”. He had served 205 days.

Later he joined the Machine Gun Corps, and was died of wounds at Etaples, where there was a high concentration of hospitals treating the wounded.

Information from the 1911 census
Herbert William May, 12, lived in a 3-roomed apartment at 51 Riverhall Street, South Lambeth. He was born in South Lambeth. His parents, Walter Charles May, 40, a general labourer, and Mary Ann May, 45, were both from Box, Wiltshire. Three of their 6 children survived:
Mary May, 18, a kitchen hand for the Express Dairy Company, born in Westminster
Herbert William May, 12, born in South Lambeth
Raymond Wilfred May, 4, born in South Lambeth

Roderick Emile Leadbetter MacKenzie

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R. E. L. MacKenzie
Service no. 14/42565
Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, 14th Battalion, formerly R/35035, King’s Royal Rifles
Born in Wimbledon; enlisted in London; lived in Lambeth
Killed in action on 2 September 1917 at age 19
CWGC: “Son of Mr and Mrs James L. MacKenzie of 10 Atherfold Road, Stockwell, London. Born at Wimbledon, London.”
Remembered at Hermies British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France

Brother of Osmond MacKenzie.