The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Lance Corporal E Stapley

Lance Corporal Edward STAPLEY, S/10, 10th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed in action, Battle Wood, Ypres, France, death presumed on or after, 31st July 1917.

1881, born Cowden, Kent, son of *James & #Ellen Stapley, (nee Jenner). *died 1901 # died 1897.

1891 Census - Farm House, Warren, Mark Beech, Hever, Kent - James Stapley, head, age 34, married, farm labourer, born Cowden, Kent; Ellen Stapley, wife, age 44, married, born Chiddingstone, Kent; Walter Stapley, son, age 18, single, farm labourer, born Cowden, Kent; Horace Stapley, son, age 17, single, farm labourer, born Cowden, Kent; Edward Stapley, son, age 10, scholar, born Cowden, Kent; John Stapley, son, age 7, scholar, born Hever, Kent; George Stapley, son, age 4, born Hever, Kent.

1901 Census - Station Road East, Oxted, Surrey - William Smith, head, age 32, married, carman of coals, worker, born Lingfield, Surrey; Ann A Smith, wife, age 29, married, born Shoreham, Kent; Ada M Smith, daughter, age 6, born Croydon, Surrey; George E Smith, son, age 3, born Oxted, Surrey; Albert E Stapley, boarder, age 20, single, bricklayers labourer, worker, born Cowden, Kent.

Home 5th April 1902 to 4th April 1914.

5th April 1902, enlisted Royal Sussex Regiment, Service No.6819, age 20 years & 8 months, height 5ft 5 inches, weight 139½ lbs, fresh complexion, grey eyes, light brown hair, formerly labourer; 30th September 1903, passed Class of Instruction, Mounted Infantry; 4th April 1905, transferred to Army Reserve Section "B", discharged on termination of period of engagement; 4th April 1914, Army Reserve Section "B", discharged. Period of Service 12 years, 3 years towards Pension. Next of Kin - Horace Stapley c/o Mrs Seal, Lindfield Cottage, Hever Station, Kent.

Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent, age 32, height 5ft 5 inches, weight 146lbs, grey eyes, light brown hair. Resided Edenbridge, Kent. Formerly labourer.

Home 10th August 1914 to 6th December 1914; BEF 7th December 1914 to 26th July 1916; Home 27th July 1916 to 14th November 1916; BEF 15th November 1916 to 31st July 1917.

10th August 1914, enlisted & posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 25th August 1914, posted 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 7th December 1914, posted BEF & 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 7th December 1914, Infantry Base Depot; 12th December 1914, joined Battalion, In the Field; 27th July 1916, wounded; 27th July 1916, posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 27th July 1916 to 14th August 1916, 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester, shrapnel wound, left eye; 23rd August 1916, posted 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 26th September 1916, deserted; 29th October 1916, rejoined; 31st October 1916, 28 days Field Punishment No.2., forfeits 34 days pay; 15th November 1916, posted BEF; appointed unpaid Lance Corporal; 31st July 1917, posted missing.

24th December 1915, Edenbridge, Edward Stapley, married $Nelly Jenner, born 14th March 1883. $? died age 26, 1918 December Croydon Registration District.

7th April 1918, date when Separation Allowance of 28/- a week payable to widow will cease.

15th January 1921 - Letter from Mrs F Jenner, 1, Hever Road, Edenbridge, Kent, to Infantry Records - "In reference to Lance Corporal E Stapley, R.W.Kent decorations. As Mrs N Stapley is dead and the children are living with their grandmother, the oldest boy is 11 years old and I did not know whether the oldest boy is entitled to his fathers decorations."

Fanny Jenner, Guardian & Grandmother.

Step Children - Percy William Albert Jenner, born 27th May 1911, South Croydon; Edward Sidney Ernest Jenner, born 10th February 1914, Penshurst (born before marriage);

Children - Elizabeth Hazel Marjorie Stapley, born 6th June 1917, Edenbridge, Kent..

Commemorated at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 45 and 47, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium / Edenbridge War Memorial.

This page was last updated on 19-Apr-2022.