Dawlish World War One Project

Henry enlisted at Exeter from his residence in Dawlish. One record shows that he was first with the Royal Garrison Artillery, Private 53432. He was transferred to the Hampshire Regiment.

The fact that Henry is shown on the Arras Memorial suggests that he died during the Battle of Arras in the April – May actions. An account is given in the Dawlish Gazette (see Documents, below).

Henry May was from a family long established in Thorverton, part of the Tiverton registration district. His father, William, was born there ca.1832 and died in the district in 1905 aged 73. William was a Master Mason and married Emma Western (1838-1906) ca 1858. They had nine children; Emily (1859- ), Louisa (1861- ), Henry (1864- ), William (1866- ), Tom (1870- ), Walter (1872- ), Eva (1878- ), Alice (1882- ) and Henry (1886-1917).

In 1871 they were living at Silver Street, Thorverton; in 1891 they were at Brooke Terrace, in 1901 at Buller Street where William (Senior) is shown as retired, Tom is a stonemason, Walter is a wheelwright and Henry/Harry is a carpenter's apprentice.
Henry's parents died in 1905 and 1906 and in 1908 he married Florence Sweet. Henry and Florence married in Q4, 1908 in Exeter.

Florence (b.Cullompton ca.1886) was a daughter of Julia Sweet , a widow in 1891.

In the 1911 census Henry May, 24, and Florence have two children Albert, 3 and Beatrice, 1, both recorded as being born in Exeter and they are living with Henry’s mother-in-law Julia Sweet, 69 at No 4 Crown Court, Exeter. Henry is a bricklayer. At the time of his death there were four children (see Dawlish Gazette report in Documents, below).

It is possible that Henry and Florence moved their family to Dawlish because of his work as a bricklayer.