William Ayers

Birth	1900, Fleet, Hants
Parents	Son of John & Emily Ayres
Residence	Alton, Hants
Occupation

Enlisted	Alton, Hants
Regiment	1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Regimental No:	40145
Rank	Private
Service Record

Death	11th June, 1918, killed in action - aged 18
Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Commemoration	Gonnehem British Cemetery, Pas de Calais (Plot D24)
Medals	Victory Medal, British War Medal

William Ayres was born in Fleet in 1900. He was the son of John and Emily Ayres, who, at the time of the 1911 Census, were a gypsy family, living in a tent on Potters Field, Church Crookham, some seven miles north of Froyle. He enlisted in nearby Alton with the 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment as 40145 Private William Ayres. Although we have no proof of where William was living at the time of his enlistment, it obviously was at Froyle, as there is, sadly, mention of him in the Alton Gazette of 5th July 1918:
Froyle - Roll of Honour – There was a keen feeling of sadness in the village last week when it became known that no less than four young men of the parish had been killed in action or had died of wounds in France. Their names are: William Ayres, Tom Brownjohn, David Hounsham, and Lce Corpl Gladstone Steer. Full details in all the cases are not yet to hand...
He was killed in action in France on 11th June 1918, aged 18 years. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Private William Ayres is laid to rest in the Gonnehem British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, Grave D24.
Ayres were living in Froyle, most probably in tents, from 1910 through to 1921. Paul & Rose Ayres, for example, had two of their children, Mary & Leonard, baptised on 21st September 1910 and another, Lizzie, on 4th September 1921. Gypsy children were usually baptised at hop picking time. Perhaps this family was related to William and put his name forward for inclusion on the War Memorial.