The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private S W Willden

Photograph by "Marvin & Samme Templin"

Private Stanley Walter WILLDEN, 201076, (TF/3499), 10th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed in action, Flanders France, 31st July 1917.

Born Derby, son of Walter Henry & Elizabeth Jane Willden.

1901 Census - 14 George Villas, Princes Road, Romford, Essex - Elizabeth Jane Willden, head, age 32, widow, living on own means, born Eaton Square, London; Stanley Walter Willden, son, age 4, born Derby, Derbyshire; Agnes Maude Arington, boarder, age 27, sorting clerk & Telegraphist, worker, born Westmoreland, Amblerside; Lily Frances Haigh, boarder, age 27, assistant school mistress, worker, born Sheffield Yorkshire; Amelia Elizabeth Fitch, boarder, age 34, assistant school mistress, worker, born Ashdon, Essex.

1905 September, Southwark Registration District, Elizabeth Jane Sweet, married Herbert Willden.

1911 Census - 2 Woodfield Road, Tonbridge - Herbert Willden, head, age 41, married, draper, own account, home, born Bedford; Elizabeth Jane Willden, wife, age 41, married 5 years, no children, born London; Stanley Walter Willden, nephew, age 14, school (student), born Derby.

Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Resided Tonbridge, Kent.

9th August 1915, posted Balkans Theatre of War.

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

Commemorated on Tonbridge War Memorial - Tonbridge War Memorial - The original World War I memorial at the Junction of Pembury Road and Quarry Hill. The names were later re-inscribed in the new Memorial Garden in Bradford Street.

From Tonbridge History - Stanley Walter Willden was born in Derby in 1896, the son of Walter Henry and Elizabeth Jane. Walter Henry Willden died in 1899 and by the time of the 1901 census Elizabeth Jane and her son Stanley Walter were living at 2, George Villas, Romford. In 1905 Elizabeth Jane married her brother-in-law, Herbert Willden, who, like Walter Henry, was a draper. By the time of the 1911 census the family were living at 2 Woodfield Road, Tonbridge and Stanley was a student at Judd School. In October 1914 Stanley enlisted as Private TF/3499 Royal West Kent Regiment and went to Gallipoli in July 1915. He was wounded and also suffered from enteric fever. He returned to England to recover, then re-joined his Regiment serving with “B” Company 10th Battalion RWK. He was re-numbered as Private 210076 in 1916/7. He was initially posted as missing in action, later confirmed as having been killed in action on 31st July 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres [Menin Gate] Memorial.

This page was last updated on 04-Jun-2023.