Furneaux, William Edington | Universities at War

Personal details

Badges and Insignia - Seaforth Highlanders. Image kindly provided by Wartime Memories Project.

Name on Memorial:

Furneaux, W. E.

Forename(s):

William Edington

Surname:

Furneaux

Date of Death:

Sunday, March 24, 1918

Age at Death:

University life

College:

Armstrong College, Newcastle upon Tyne

Staff or Student:

Student

Military Service

The information displayed here is at the time of death.

Rank:

Major

Service:

Army

Unit:

Seaforth Highlanders, 9th Battalion

Prisoner of War:

Theatre of War:

France and Flanders

Biography

William was born in Gateshead in 1881 to John Brokenshire Furneaux, a consulting engineer, and Margaret Furneaux (nee Edington ). He had six siblings, John, George, Margaret, Janet, Thomas, and Amelia.

He was educated at Armstrong College and became a Commercial Traveller/Engineer. He married Alicia Freda Mathieson on 20th February 1907. His last known address, where he lived with his aunt Jane Eddington, was 11 Richmond Terrace, Gateshead.

William previously served in the Boer War. He was made Captain in the Seaforth Highlanders, 9th Battalion on 17th February 1915. He was made Temporary Captain on 4th June 1917 and eventually attained the rank of Major.

William was killed in action near Maricourt in northern France on 24th March 1918 aged 37.

Addresses before and during the war

12 Bewick Road, Gateshead (place of residence as entered in the 1891 Census)

11 Richmond Terrace, Gateshead (place of residence as entered in the 1911 Census)

Place of Burial or Battle Site Memorial

William is buried in the Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension in Somme, France.

Memorials

Additional images

Research information

Sources:

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Newcastle University Archives (Roll of Service, Armstrong College Calendars, The Northerner Student Magazine)

UK Census registers, National Archives (available via Ancestry.co.uk)

UK Military Service Records, National Archives (available via Ancestry.co.uk)

London Gazette, 5th March 1915.

Researched by:

Sophie Anderton, Ian Johnson, Marie Caffrey.