4899 Pte William Henry Fecamp, 5th Dragoon Guards

Arrived overseas: 7 August 1914.

Connection: 1914 Star trio.

William Henry Fecamp was born in Bermondsey in 1882. On the 8th July 1901 he got his first taste of military life when he attested with the Kent Artillery, a militia unit. His suriving attestation papers show that he was aged 19 years and five months, living at 7 Claxton Grove, Hammersmith and working as a gas fitter for Mr Burgeman in Fulham. He stood five feet, eight and a quarter inches tall, had a pale complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He also had a number of tattoos including a heart, clasped hands and the intials  WHF on his right arm, and clasped hands and a woman on his left forearm. Henry trained for 49 days and then immediately enlistaed as a career soldier with the 5th Dragoon Guards.

Although no papers survive for William, he probably enlisted for seven years with the colours followed by five years on the reserve. Certainly, by the time the 1911 census was taken, he was back working as a gas fitter and living at 86 Clarence Road, Lower Clapton. William must have subsequently signed up for a further four years on the reserve as a Section D reservist because he arrived overseas in France on the 7th August 1914 still with his original 5th Dragoon Guards regimental number. By this time, he had been a soldier for just over 13 years.

William served until virtually the end of the war. He appears to have been transferred to the Labour Corps in July 1917 (regimental number 259332) and then back to the Corps of Dragoons (regimental number D/29460) before being discharged physically unfit on the 8th November 1914. Three days later, the Armistice was signed.

Medals purchased in November 2023 for £225. There was no clasp with the 1914 Star although William would have been entitled to this.