Headstone of Dayrell Titheridge  at Shedfield Churchyard

On 3 September 1939, Britain declared war on Germany. Nine days after war was declared the first war time death of a family member occurred. His life was lost, not by an act of war but by a road accident on home soil.

The victim was 24-year-old Dayrell Charles John Titheridge a member of the Royal Artillery.

Dayrell was born on 28 January 1915 in the Droxford area of Hampshire, most likely near Shedfield or Waltham Chase. He was the eldest of 8 children born to Noah John Titheridge and Annie Louise Ferris. There were 7 boys and 1 girl in the family, born between 1915 and 1936.

Sometime between 1933 and 1935 Dayrell joined the Royal Artillery. In 1935 he was living in the Louisburg Barracks at the Bordon Army Camp, Hampshire. At the age of 21 Dayrell married Jessie Muriel Webb on 25 September 1935 at St Alban's church, Hindhead, Surrey.

By the outbreak of war in September 1939 Dayrell had gained the rank of Lance Bombardier and he was still stationed at Bordon Camp as part of the 2nd Field Regiment.

On Tuesday 12 September 1939 Dayrell was riding his motorbike at about 5.45 in the morning, just as it was light. He collided with a car in Honey Lane, Selbourne, Hampshire while travelling towards Bordon. At the inquest the driver of the car said, he was driving his car along Honey Lane towards Selbourne when, as he was rounding a left-handed bend, he saw a motorbike five to six feet from its off side of the road. The motorist applied his brakes, but the motorcycle seemed to wobble in front of him and crashed into his radiator. Dayrell was taken to hospital and was suffering from severe head injuries. He never regained consciousness and died a couple of hours later.

The inquest was held by the Winchester County Coroner at Alton Police Court. A verdict of accidental death was given with the driver of the car exonerated from blame.

Dayrell was buried in St John the Baptist church in Shedfield, his local home church which was a mile south of his parent’s home of 11 Beaucroft Road, Waltham Chase. His grave is situated to the rear of the church. The grave is pictured above. His death is recorded on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission site as he was a serving soldier in war time. In the burial ground at Shedfield, across the road from the church, is a War Memorial to the men of Shedfield, pictured below.

As far as I can tell Dayrell’s widow never remarried and she died in Taunton in September 1981.

For Dayrell’s parents, Noah and Annie, they not only had to cope with the loss of a son but also the worry of their other sons serving in the war. By the end of World War 2 five of their six remaining sons were serving their country in the forces. Fortunately, all five sons returned home safely.

While researching this article I viewed the British Army Casualty List for the period 3 September to 19 September 1939 a period of 16 days. I was shocked to see that in UK, during this period, a total of 22 soldiers lost their lives on home soil and not due to warfare. (8 were accidentally killed, 5 died as a result of an accident, 7 died, 1 drowned, 1 was missing presumed drown plus 4 were reported as dangerously ill).

If you are related to Dayrell and can add  any more to this story please get in touch.

Shedfielld Memorial  to those who lost their lives in World War 2

 

St John the Baptist Church in Shedfield, Hampshire