THE SHORT life of William Cakebread as read by member of the St Mary of Latton Church, Robert Cox.

Thank you to Harlow Council Civic Fund and HTS Limited for their support with this project.

Never Forget

William’s parents were William Cakebread, born in Gilston, Hertfordshire in 18691 and Mary Oliver, born in Harlow in 18692. They married on 25 January 1891 in Ealing, London3 and William Charles Cakebread was born in Harlow in 18984, an only child.

The 1901 census records William residing at The Heath, Hatfield Broad Oak with his parents. William Snr. worked as an insurance agent for The Prudential. The 1911 census shows that William Jnr. then aged thirteen was residing with his parents in Sheering, near Durrington House. By now William Snr. was working as a cowman on a farm.

Rifleman William Charles Cakebread, 3767, enlisted in Chelsea, London, in the summer of 1915 and joined the 1st/8th Battalion in the County of London (Irish Rifles) Regiment. The battalion went overseas in January 1916 and in June were in the trenches in the Angres Sector. On the night of 27 and 28 June, they staged a raid on the German trenches. William Charles Cakebread was killed in action on 28 June 1916 aged 18. He is buried in Tranchee-de-Mecknes Cemetery, Aix-Noulette, France. Row 6, grave 15. Register Index Number Fr.559.

At the time of William’s death, his parents were living at ‘The Nook’, Hart Road, Harlow where they remained until their deaths in the 1940s.