Healey James Armstrong Wiltshire was born on 3 February 1893, the second son of the six children of Henry Wiltshire (1838-1921) and his second wife, Barbara Ann Wiltshire née Armstrong (1860-1924). The birth of Healey Wiltshire was registered in the 1st quarter of 1893 in the Marylebone registration district, London. He was baptised on 9 April 1893 at Christ Church, Marylebone, where in the baptismal register his family were recorded as living at 125 Seymour Place, Marylebone and that his father was a news vendor.
From 25 February 1901 until early 1902 he attended the Stephen Street School, Cosway Street, Marylebone and in the 1901 census he is shown as living within four of the rooms at 125 Seymour Place, with his parents, four siblings: Henry William Wiltshire (b.1889); Barbara Lucy Wiltshire (1895-1923); Edward Thomas Wiltshire (b.1898) and Mary Elizabeth Wiltshire (1900-1901), together with his father's cousin Barbara Garrett (b.1872). His father was shown as a warehouseman.
In September 1910 he was appointed as an assistant postman in the London Postal Service and the 1911 census he was described as a messenger, living in five rooms at 125 Seymour Place, together with his father - a newsagent, his mother - assisting in business, and his three surviving siblings: William Henry Wiltshire - a newsagent's clerk; Barbara Lucy Wiltshire - assisting in business and Edward Thomas Wiltshire - at school.
In October 1911 he was promoted to the grade of Postman in London's East Central District Office.
He joined the Territorial Army in 1912 enlisting as a Rifleman in the 9th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles), service number 1456. After World War One was declared he volunteered for overseas service and he landed with his regiment in Le Havre, France, on 4 November 1914. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 1st/7th Battalion, Essex Regiment on 30 September 1915 and was killed in action, aged 24 years, in the Second Battle of Gaza, on 17 April 1917. His body was buried in Plot 10, Row F, Grave 3 in the Gaza War Cemetery, Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
His army effects totalling £75-13s-2d were sent to his mother on 20 November 1917. Probate records confirm his address to have been 82 Seymour Place, Bryanston Square, Marylebone and that administration of his estate, with a will, was granted to his mother on 22 November 1918. His estate totalled £275-0s-0d. She was also sent his £6-0s-0d war gratuity 4 March 1920. He was posthumously awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal and these were sent to his mother on 15 November 1919 at 82 Seymour Place, Marylebone.
He is shown as ' WILTSHIRE, H. J. A.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1 and as 'WILTSHIRE. H.J.A.' on the Quebec Chapel war memorial at the Church of The Annunciation, Bryanston Street, London, W1H 7AH. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Live of the First World War website and on the A Street Near You website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
