Category Archives: Reading Blue Coat School

William Edward Davis Wellbelove

Army, Commemorated name/s, Dardanelles, Other Regiments, Reading Blue Coat School

William Edward Davis Wellbelove
Driver 616069
20th Bde.  Ammunition Column
1st/1st Berkshire Royal Horse Artillery

 Division 40

William Edward Davis Wellbelove, is commemorated on a family memorial.  Grave number 8790.  He was related to Joseph Davis AIF, who is commemorated on the same headstone.  The grave number is 8790.  The Berkshire Family History classification if 40C11.

William was the eldest son of William Edward and Dora Wellbelove, of 30, Crescent Road, Reading.   He was an old boy of the Reading Blue Coat School.

William died in Number 17 General Hospital Alexandria, after contracting malaria and developing pneumonia.  He died on the 29th October 1918, aged 23. He is buried in the Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.  Location E.99. 

 Alexandria was a great Anglo-French base camp and hospital centre.  Casualties were brought to Alexandria from the islands and men came to the camps in Alexandria when on leave from campaigns in the desert.

William A. Stacey

Commemorated name/s, Reading Blue Coat School, Somme

William A. Stacey
2nd Corporal 126th Field Company
Royal Engineers

 Division 52

Stacey WA photo Stacey WA mem name

William A. Stacey was the son of William Albert and Ellen Esther Stacey,  of 57, Mason Street, Reading. He died on 22nd March 1918, aged 26. He is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial to the Missing, Panel 10 to 13.

The 1901 census indicates that William was the oldest of four children. His father’s occupation was a grocer’s warehouse man. By 1911 the family were living in Tilehurst and there was a further sibling. William was working and his occupation is given as a cooper at the brewery.

 

George Walter Spencer

Commemorated name/s, Reading Blue Coat School, St. Laurence's Church, Ypres

George Walter Spencer
Gunner 212234
“A” Battery. 160th Brigade
Royal Field Artillery

 Division 49

Spencer GW photo Spencer GW grave

George Walter Spencer was the son of Walter and Kate Spencer, of 50, Blenheim Road, Reading. The 1901 census indicates that the family were living in Henry Street, Reading and that Walter Spencer was then the only child. Ancestry UK shows that the family tree has been started.

George Walter Spencer died on 1st November 1918 aged 20. He was buried in Kezelberg Military Cemetery, Wevelgem, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.  Location I. C. 24.

23rd October 2000 more information in newspaper cuttings and needs writing up.