William Shaxon
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
William Shaxon was born in about 1888. His own family has not yet been traced but he named a cousin, Elizabeth Squires, of Northam, Bideford, Devon, as his next of kin when he attested in 1905. Elizabeth has been identified as Elizabeth Shaxon (b. 1857) the daughter of William Shaxon and his first wife Mary (née Knight m. 1851) of Northam. William married secondly Rebecca Davison in 1867 (d. 1877). Elizabeth married John Dingwall (b. Scotland) in 1878 (reg. Bideford) and they had at least three children, Ellen/Helen (b. 1878 Cheltenham), John (b. 1880 Barnsbury Middx) and Mary (b. 1881 Bideford). John Dingwall died in 1881 and in 1891 his widow and their three children were living in Fore Street, Bideford, with her widowed father, William Shaxon. Also in the household was William's nephew, Willie Dingwall, who was 3 years old (b. abt. 1888). Willie has not yet been traced on civil records after this date and the possibility has been considered that he later took the surname Shaxon. William Shaxon (13) has been traced on the 1901 Census working as a 'cow boy' at Frains Farm, Buckland Brewer, Devon. Elizabeth Dingwall had married John Squires in 1896 but been widowed in 1900 and in 1901 was living with her three children in Castle Street, Northam. Her father William was a pauper and an inmate at the Union Workhouse, Bideford, where he died in January the following year. William (Shaxon) joined the army in 1905 and named Elizabeth as his next of kin. The information on his army service record suggests that at the time both he and his cousin were living at the same address, Lenards Street, Northam. William Shaxon was serving with the 2nd Bn Devonshire Regiment in Malta in 1911. The same year, Elizabeth Squires was living in Devonport with her daughters Helen Shaxon and Mary Westlake (m. 1908) and Mary's two sons. William married Hannah Chadburn in 1914 (ref. Army Marriages Egypt). Their daughter Joan Elizabeth was born in Bulwell, Nottingham, in May 1915. Hannah was born in Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire in 1882 (bap St Edmund King & Martyr 12 March 1882), the daughter of William and Elizabeth Chadburn. In 1891 William, a shepherd, his wife and their seven children, including Hannah (9), were living at Fox Yard, Main Street, Rempstone, Leicestershire, but by 1901 her parents were living in Papplewick. Her mother died in 1905 and in 1911 her father William and three of their children were living on Forest Road, Bulwell. He died in 1918; both her parents are buried in Papplewick St James churchyard. Hannah has not yet been traced on either the 1901 or 1911 Census but there is a record of a Miss Hannah Chadburn (30), a nurse, departing London on 21 November 1912 (SS Persia) bound for Port Said, Egypt. A Miss H Chadburn (no occupation or age given) departed Port Said onboard SS City of Birmingham bound for Birkenhead on 9 April 1914. The WW1 Pension Ledgers record gave Hannah's place of residence as Surrey. However, there is a report in a Nottinghamshire newspaper in December 1931 of the presentation of school leaving certificates to pupils of the County Secondary School, West Bridgford, Nottingham, who included Joan E Shaxon. Hannah and her daughter emigrated to Canada in 1939 (see 'Extra information'). However, they made at least one return visit to the UK as they were recorded on the passenger list of SS Franconia, embarking Liverpool 8 November 1947 for Quebec, Canada. Their address in England had been c/o Blackcliffe Farm, Bradmore, Nottinghamshire. Members of the Chadburn family were recorded at the farm in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled: Walter (b. 1880), farmer, his wife Florence, their son Leslie and Ernest Chadburn (b. 1888). The family still had the farm when Walter died in December 1944 and is likely that surviving members of the family were still living there in 1947.
'C' Coy. 2nd Bn. Devonshire Regiment William Shaxon attested in the Militia/Reserve Division of the Militia in 1905. He was 18 years old, just under 5’ 6”, weighed 123 lbs, physical description fresh complexion, hazel eyes and dark brown hair. William had previously applied to join the Royal Marines but been found unfit (poor eyesight). He named his cousin (Mrs) Elizabeth Squires as his next of kin. William joined the 4th Battalion Devon Regiment on a six year engagement. After enlisting in the Militia he completed 43 days drill (4 October 1905-15 November 1905) before joining the Devonshire Regiment (2nd Bn.) on 16 November 1905. By 1911, he was a lance corporal (8029) with the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment stationed in Malta (commanding officer Lt. Col. WT Bartlett). The Battalion was stationed in Malta from 1910 to 1912 and then moved to Egypt. It returned to England in October 1914 for war service and came under orders of 23rd Brigade, 8th Division. The Battalion served with the BEF France, landing at Le Havre on 6 November the same year. The Battle of the Somme began on the 1st July 1916. The 2nd Devons was north of La Boiselle and its objective was to reach Pozieres. At 6.35am a tremendous bombardment opened which lasted for an hour. This bombardment was meant to destroy the enemy lines which were less than half a mile away. At 7.30am the unit went over the top to be met with a hail of fire. William, who had been promoted sergeant, was reported missing on 1 July and his death was later presumed to have occurred on this date. A casualty list published on 18 August 1916 included Sergeant Shaxon's name on the list of those who were missing and there is a record on the British Red Cross & Order of St John, Enquiry List (Wounded & Missing), of an enquiry about William dated 7 September 1916, so his death had still not been confirmed two months after he was reported missing. William's body was later recovered and he is buried in Ovillers Military Cemetery, France (grave ref. VI.S.3). The history of the cemetery indicates that his grave was brought in after the Armistice (see below). William Shaxon was posthumously awarded the Military Medal, gazetted 28 July 1917. He qualified for the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Ovillers Military Cemetery (extract): The village of Ovillers is about 5km from the town of Albert. 'On 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the 8th Division attacked Ovillers and the 34th Division La Boisselle. The villages were not captured, but ground was won between them and to the south of La Boisselle. On 4 July, the 19th (Western) Division cleared La Boisselle and on 7 July the 12th (Eastern) and 25th Divisions gained part of Ovillers, the village being cleared by the 48th (South Midland) Division on 17 July. The two villages were lost during the German advance in March 1918, but they were retaken on the following 24 August by the 38th (Welsh) Division. Ovillers Military Cemetery was begun before the capture of Ovillers, as a battle cemetery behind a dressing station. It was used until March 1917, by which time it contained 143 graves, about half the present Plot I. The cemetery was increased after the Armistice when Commonwealth and French graves where brought in, mainly from the battlefields of Pozieres, Ovillers, La Boisselle and Contalmaison, and from the following two cemeteries, Mash Valley Cemetery, Ovillers-La Boiselle ... and Red Dragon Cemetery, Ovillers-La Boiselle.' (www.cwgc.org)
Papplewick St James, headstone inscription: ‘In loving memory of Elizabeth Chadburn, died May 30th, 1905, aged 56 years. Also William, husband of the above, died Oct. 22nd 1918, aged 74 years. Also William Shaxon killed in France July 1st 1916, aged 29 years. They live for evermore.’ Note: William and Elizabeth Chardburn were William's parents-in-law. The following is courtesy of Gill Willett and Janet Frew (bucklandbrewerhistorygroup): 'William’s wife and daughter were living at Alverstone, Mead Road, Cranleigh, Surrey in 1938. Joan was a teacher. In 1939 they emigrated onboard the Queen Mary to America and then on to Canada. Joan does not appear to have married, so it is unlikely that William has any [direct] descendants. Joan lived in Yukon, Canada and is described on her gravestone in Grey Mountain Cemetery, Whitehorse, as an “adventurer, teacher and artist”. She endowed a bursary through the Yukon Foundation for a Canadian university student from Yukon “pursuing studies in fine arts, art history, museum studies, or arts administration.' Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 26 January 1915: ‘Correspondence. Cream for the Soldiers. To the Editor of the Daily Gazette. 'Sir, Some time ago you were kind enough to print a letter from me suggesting that every Devon village should send out Devonshire cream to the Devons. Chawleigh sent, through me, 12½lb, and the bellringers are each sending 1½lb next week. I have to-day received the following postcard acknowledging the 12½lb:- ‘British Expeditionary Force, 16th Jan., 1915. Madam, On behalf of my platoon, a few lines to express our heartfelt gratitude at sending the ‘Devonshire cream. It was more than we ever hoped for out here, and we all thank you from our hearts. Yours gratefully, W Shaxon.’ Perhaps, now, other villages will do like-wise. Everyone who sent in cream to me wrote their name and address on the tin. They were all sent in the same morning and dispatched by the earliest post. Yours truly, JG Rowe. Chawleigh Hall, N. Devon, Jan 22nd.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Western Times, 18 August 1916: ‘West-Country Casualties in the Latest Lists. The following list of casualties was issued on Wednesday night … Missing. Sergt. W Shaxon (Exeter enlt).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, 30 July 1917 (extract): ‘War Honours. The King has been pleased to approve of the award of the Military Medal for bravery in the field to the under-mentioned non-commissioned officers and men, since deceased, who have been killed in action or died of wounds or disease subsequent to the date of the award of the Military Medal to them by the Commander in Chief in the Field:- W Shaxon, Devon R.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his widow was his sole legatee although one payment was made to her 'for the benefit of the child, Joan Eliz.' WW1 Pension Ledgers Index Cards: named his widow Hannah Shaxon (b. 1882) and child Joan Elizabeth (b. 1915), residence Surrey. Hannah was awarded a weekly pension of 18/6d (18 shillings 6 pence) for herself and her child with effect from 26 February 1917.
