WILLIAM E KELLAWAY
Given the number of men that volunteered in Portsmouth it is hardly surprising that many brothers would find themselves serving in the same army, and of those families many suffered the loss of more than one son. This is what happened to the family of Charles and Alice Kellaway.
Charles and Alice married in 1885 when Charles, who was born in Portsmouth was 25 years old and Alice who's birthplace was Bridport was 22 years of age. It is quite likely that Charles was at that time in the navy as there is no trace of them living in the UK in the 1891 Census. Even if that is incorrect he certainly had a strong connection to the sea as he was listed as a shipwright in 1901 when the couple were living at 15 Basin Street with their sons Charles (12), William (9) and Albert (6).
By 1911 the family had moved to 119 Wingfield Street, just around the corner from All Saints Church. The Census of that year tells us that the eldest son Charles had died, William was a Dockyard Labourer, Albert was an errand boy and a daughter had been born.
William enlisted in May 1916, shortly after conscription was introduced. He received two months training before being sent to the Western Front. He took part in several battles but was severely injured in the Somme Offensive of 1916 and later died in hospital of his wounds in November that year. William's brother Albert was killed on the Western Front in April the following year.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission list Gunner WE Kellaway (135439), D Battery, 58th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, died 02/11/1916. Buried in Warloy-Baillon Communal Cemetery Extension (Grave V111.C.13.).
William Kellaway is remembered on the All Saints Church WW1 memorial and the Cenotaph. He is listed in the 'National Roll of the Great War' Section X, p. 126, which gave his address as 30 Baker Street, Portsmouth.
Tim Backhouse
December 2013