Private 38436 William Maydew

Died of Wounds on Wednesday, 29th May 1918, age 26.
Buried in Grave XVII. A. 20. at Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, Pas De Calais, France.

4th Bn., South Staffordshire Regiment. 7th Brigade of 25th Division.

Husband of Mrs Mary Ann Maydew, of 25 William Street, West Bromwich, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: West Bromwich, Resident: Unknown.

First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the St. Peter's, Greets Green Memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/4026459/

Genealogical Data

Birth of William Enos Maydew registered December Qtr 1891 in Dudley.

1901 Census
Toll End Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Ralph Maydew (62, Iron Worker, born Wolverhampton), his wife Elizabeth (52, born Tipton), and their 5 children: Thomas (23, Bolter Down - Ironworks, born Tipton), George H. (19, Furnaceman, born Tipton), John (15, General Labourer, born Tipton), Ralph (12, born Tipton), and William E. (9, born Tipton).

1911 Census
52 New Road, Great Bridge, Tipton, Staffs.
Lodging with William and Elizabeth Hickinbottom was: William Maydew (19, Screwer in Tube Factory, born Tipton).

Marriage of William Maydew and Mary Allen registered September Qtr 1915 in Dudley. The birth of their daughter Edna May was registered in December quarter 1915 in Dudley. Sadly, Edna died in 1917 at just 1 year of age. William's widow, Mary, married Thomas Benjamin Wyant in December quarter 1920, the marriage was registered in West Bromwich.

Personal Data

William's outstanding army pay and allowances were paid to his widow Mary A. in February 1919, this amounted to £8/18/1d (8 pounds, 18 shillings and 1 penny). His War Gratuity of £4/0/0d (4 pounds) was paid in December 1919, again to his widow Mary A. The value of the War Gratuity and his date of death suggest that he enlisted in March 1917.

William's widow, Mary, was awarded a pension of 13/9d (13 shillings and 9 pence) per week, effective from 17th February 1919. Her address was 25 William Street, West Bromwich. Her Widow's Pension would have ceased on her marriage to Thomas Wyant in December quarter 1920; a compensation payment of approximately the value of one year's pension would have been paid.

Action resulting in his death

At the end of April 1918, 25th Division (which included the 4th Battalion, South Staffs) was selected as one of the 5 Divisions of Commonwealth forces posted to the French 6th Army in the Soissons area to rest and refit, supposedly in a quiet area. Here, on the 27th May, they found themselves facing the overwhelming German attack which pushed the Allies back across the Aisne to the Marne. Over the period 27th to 29th May, the 4th South Staffs were forced to retreat arond 10 miles from north-west of Reims to the west of Reims. 31 men were killed, mostly on 27th May.

William Maydew died of wounds on 29th May 1918. The War Diary for that day records that they were forced to continue their withdrawal, and casualties amomgst the Other Ranks were: 10 killed, 92 wounded, and 60 missing. It is very possible that William was wounded on the 29th May, and died the same day.

The Commonwealth War Graves records show that William was initially buried at Avize which is almost 20 miles south of the 4th South Staffs loaction on the 29th May. In December 1920, the graves at Avize were conentrated into the French National Cemetery at Epernay. Some 44 years later, in July 1964, British graves were removed from Epernay and re-buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery at Wimille , just over a mile north of Boulogne.


A summary of the 4th South Staffs prioir actions in the German Spring Offensive from 21th March to their move to the Soissons area in May 1918 follows.

The 4th Battalion, South Staffs (4/SS), as part of 25th Division, had significant and costly involvement in the defensive actions of the German Spring Offensive beginning on 21st March 1918. During the period 21st March to 31st May 1918 they lost a total of 12 Officers and 216 Other Ranks.

The first phase of German Offensive (Operation Michael) began on 21st March in the area of the 1916 Somme battlefield, the 4/SS were positioned the east of Bapaume. Their first significant action was on the 24th March when, on Palm Sunday, the Germans launched an attack which became known as the Battle of Bapaume. The 4/SS were forced to retreat and Bapaume was lost. 35 men of the 4/SS were killed on that day.

By the end of March, the first phase of the German Offensive was stalling, and the Germans switched their focus north to Flanders. The second phase of the Spring Offensive (Operation Georgette) began on the 9th April. 25th Division had been moved to the Flanders area and again faced the German onslaught. On the 9th April, the 4/SS were forced to retreat from Warenton to Hill 63, near today's Ploegsteert Memorial. On the 10th April, a major German assault fell on the 4/SS. Despite a spirited defence they were forced to withdraw to Neuve Eglise by the end of the day. 51 Other Ranks of 4/SS were killed on the day.

Towards the end of April, 4/SS were out of the line in reserve. On 25th April, the Germans captured Kemmel Hill and 25th Division were sent back to the line to counter attack on 26th April, this became known as the Second Battle of Kemmel. The attack was partially successful but 28 men of the 4/SS were lost on the day.

On 9th May, the 4th South Staffs entrained in Belgium, bound for Soissons.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.