WW1 Casualty: Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant 160 William Hewson Range - Prescot Roll of HonourRegimental Quarter Master Sergeant 160 William Hewson Range
| Unit/Regiment |
Lancashire Hussars |
| Date of Death |
13/04/1920 |
Age at Death |
38 |
| Burial/Memorial |
Prescot Churchyard |
| Census Details |
1901 Census -
William H Range was a 19 year old Post Office Sorting Clerk & Telegraphist and lived at 8 Atherton Street. Along with parents Edmund (50, an Assistant Overseer) and Esther (45) were siblings Mary (16), Annie (14), Alice (12), Esther (6) and Edmund (5).
1911 Census –
William, aged 29, is recorded as an Overseer at the Post Office. He lived at Kelvin Cottage, Warrington Road, Prescot, with his wife Amy
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| Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations |
Birth Registered Q2/1881, Prescot, Volume 8b, Page 699 |
| Notes |
Grave inscription on family stone at Prescot reads
"William Hewson, son of the above Edmund Range and beloved husband of Amy Roselle Range, born 23rd May 1881 died 13th April 1920"
Unable to locate the grave |
| Research Ref. No. |
P237 |
Service DetailsWilliam was born in Prescot on 23 May 1881, the son of Edmund and Esther Range of Atherton Street. He attended Prescot Grammar School, starting there in 1894.
In 1899, he joined the Post Office as a Clerk, and he is entered in the Postal Appointment Books of 1899, also being entered in the London Gazette later that year (see images below).
William married Amy Roselle Williams in the Autumn of 1910 in Walsall. The 1911 census entry shows that Amy was a native of Staffordshire. At the time, he still worked for the Post Office. The image from the enumerator’s book (below) shows that their home at Kelvin Cottage was just along from the site of the Parish Rooms.
It is not clear when he joined up for military service, but his number (160) was issued on to the Territorial Force, and I suspect it may have been in 1908 when the Yeomanry was reformed.
The London Gazette of 3rd April 1917 reported his appointment with an honorary rank of Lieutenant
From William’s Medal Index Card (shown below), we can see that he first went overseas in January 1916, when he was posted to Egypt.
Although no reason is recorded, William was entitled to the Silver War Badge, indicating that he may have been discharged due to injury or illness incurred as part of his military service. The date of discharge is shown as 27th November 1918. He was also entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His entry in the National Probate Celendar (1920) states that he was a postmaster of Park Road, Newton-le-Willows and left effects to the value of £549/14/2d. Probate was granted at Liverpool on 13 April 1920 to his widow Amy Roselle Range and solicitor William Arthur Cross.
William Range’s Medal Index Card shows that as well as serving with the Lancashire Hussars, he also served with the Lancashire Fusiliers and the Corps of Hussars. His death after discharge is also noted.
The reverse of the Medal Index Card shows that the medals were dispatched to Mrs. Range in Rainhill, as the date of dispatch was after the death of William Range.
The burial register entry for William Hewson Range
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