Thank you to Patricia Brazier for the following research.
William Henry was born in 1883, and baptised at the parish church of Dorking on 17th February 1884 to Henry and Amy. Henry is a farm labourer, and they are living at Betchworth Park.
In the 1891 census his family are now living in Moles Side in Dorking. William has three sisters Rose aged 9, Lilian aged 3 and Alice aged 8 months.
When the 1901 census was taken the family are living in 1 Cotmandene Square, William now has another sibling, Jack aged 8.
On December 25th 1909, William married Henrietta Harriet Marshall at St Pauls Church in Dorking. They started their married life at 12 Falklands Road where they had two children in 1910; Henry John and Ethel May Violet. They then moved to 17 Cotmandene Square and had three more children George Henry born in 1911, Rosalie Ada born 1915 and John Edward in 1916.
RELIEF THAT CAME TOO LATE
Mrs. Duffell, 17, Cotmandene Square, Dorking, has received the sad news of the death of her husband, Lce-Corpl, Wm. Henry Duffell, Royal West Surrey Regt. He had had a week’s spell in the trenches, and was just being relieved when he was shot in the head. Lce-Corpl. Duffell joined up on Feb 22nd, 1916, and went out to France at the end of May of the same year. He was subsequently wounded in the thigh, and was in hospital at Rochester and Tunbridge Wells. He came home for ten days leave, and was again sent to France in October last year. Before joining the Army he was employed by Messrs Meakins. He leaves a young family of four, and his widowed mother lives on the Cotmandene.
William Henry Duffell Death Notice © Dorking Advertiser findmypast.co.uk
William joined the Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment in February 1916 and went to France in May of that year. On 28th July 1916 he was wounded in the thigh and returned to England, where he spent time in hospital in Rochester and Tunbridge Wells. After leaving hospital, he had 10 days home leave and then returned to France in October 1916. In August 1917, he had been in trenches for about a week and was about to be relieved, when he was shot in the head. He died on 10th August 1917. He is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery. Grave reference: Plot 46 Row G Grave 8.
His widow Henrietta married Arthur Sawyers in 1923. They had two sons Ronald born in 1924 and Albert born in 1926.
| Lived | Dorking, Surrey | |
| Son of | Henry and Amy Duffell of Dorking | |
| Husband of | Henrietta Harriet Marshall | |
| Father of | Henry and Ethel (1910), George (1911), Rosalie (1915), John Edward (1916) | |
| Regiment | 7th Battalion. The Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment | |
| Number | G/7775 | |
| Date of Death | 10th August 1917 | |
| Place of Death | Flanders, France | |
| Cause of Death | Killed in action | |
| Age | 34 | |
| Cemetery | Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
