Private Matthew Nall

Date of Birth c.1881
Age at Death 36
Date of Death 31 May 1918
Service Number G/19717
Military Service 8th Battalion Queens Own Royal West Kent Rgiment
Merton Address 94 Links Road, Tooting
Local Memorial Mitcham War Memorial

Additional Information

Born in Battersea on 17 June 1881, Matthew was the son of warehouseman Matthew Nall and his wife Ellen. The couple also had an older son, Robert and three younger children, Charlotte, Ralph and Clement.

By 1891 the Nall family was living at 12 Brenda Road, Upper Tooting, together with a lodger and house keeper. Matthew Jnr was educated at Tooting Graveney Boys’ School.
A decade later, the Nalls had moved to 66-64 Upper Tooting Road. Matthew snr was now working as a Clothier. Matthew jnr and his brother Robert were employed as postmen, whilst young Ralph had become a Commercial Clerk.

1908 was a momentous year for the Nall family. Matthew snr had now died and his namesake was living at 68 Rossiter Road, Balham. Matthew Jnr had obviously formed an attachment to his next door neighbour, as on 21 Sept 1908, he married Julia Jenner of 66 Rossiter Road, at St. Stephen Church, Clapham Park, Balham. His brother, Robert, married Julia’s sister, Lucetta on the same day and place. Two days later younger brother, Clement married Beatrice Victoria Christmas, their marriage was registered in Wandsworth.

By 1911 Matthew was working as a London postman. He and his wife were living in a sizeable house at 94 Links Road Tooting, whilst his widowed mother, Ellen was running a Dress Agency at 96-98 Upper Tooting Road, Tooting.

Conscription came into force in March 1916 and in June of that year Matthew enlisted at Wimbledon, joining the Reserve Garrison Artillery of the Suffolk Regiment. In the same year, his brother Clement joined the Royal Artillery. (Clement and his three children were now living at 96 Upper Tooting Road, on the border with Mitcham, together with his wife, Beatrice and his mother Ellen.)

By the last year of the war, Matthew Nall was serving as a Private in the 8th Battalion, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) stationed in France. War diaries show that a raid on enemy trenches was planned for the night of 24 May, in order to inflict casualties and capture prisoners. It is possible that Matthew was injured during this offensive. Records show that he died of wounds on 31May 1918 and is buried at Pernes British Cemetery in the Pas de Calais region. His name also appears on the Mitcham War Memorial.

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