William Fukes
- Family History
- Military History
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William Fukes was born in 1892 at Sneinton, Nottingham and was the son of William Henry an upholsterer and Mary Ann Fukes née Morledge of 34 Crown Street Blue Bell Hill Nottingham. His father William was born in 1870 at Plymouth and his mother Mary Ann Moreledge was born in 1871 at Sneinton, they were married in 1892 at Nottingham, they had a further child, Hilda born 1898 at Bristol. In the 1911 census the family are living at 10 Campbell Grove, Robin Hood Street, Nottingham and are shown as William Henry 41 yrs an upholsterer he is living with his wife Mary Ann 40 yrs and their children William 18 yrs a french polisher and Hilda 13 yrs a scholar. William married Alice Lilian Hewitt (born 23rd April 1892 ) in 1913 in Nottingham they lived at 3 Alpine Terrace, Hunt Street Gordon Road and later 23 Flewitt Street, Alfred Street, Nottingham, they had 3 children, William Henry born 26th January 1914, Alice Lilian born 25th January 1915 and Thomas born 15th February 1916 , Thomas died on 17th June 1917. His widow Alice was awarded a pension of 20 shillings and 6 pence a week which commenced on 19th March 1917.
Private Wiliam Fukes enlisted at Nottingham , he served with the 15th battalion Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He was killed during an attack on a German stronghold between Maltz Horn Farm and Arrow Head Copse on the Somme. Advancing under heavy shell fire at 5am the battalion took the German position before retiring under more heavy shelling. The Foresters' casualties were 49 killed, 146 killed and 36 missing. Source: 'Small in stature, big in heart: How my family's "Bantam" paid the ultimate price' by Anthony Fukes (William's grandson) 'Nottingham Post' 19/8/2014 p.21 He has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial
In memoriam published 20th July 1917 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “FUKES. – In loving memory of Private W. Fukes, Sherwood Foresters, killed in action July 20th, 1916, of 34, Crown-street, Blue Bell-hill, aged 24. Days of sadness still come o'er us, tears of sorrow often flow, memory keeps out loved ones near us, whom God claimed one year ago. – Wife and children, dad, mother, sister Hilda.” Above is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
