William Francis Raftery was born on 29 February 1892 in Marylebone, the second of the five children of Luke Raftery (1864-1928) and Mary Ann Amanda Raftery née Nicholls (1865-1931). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1892 in the Marylebone Registration District, London. On 29 April 1892 he was baptised at St Stephen the Martyr Church, Avenue Road, Hampstead, where the baptismal register confirms his date of birth, that the family were living at 7 Townshend Road, St John's Wood, London and that his father was a cabman.
His four siblings were: Albert Luke Raftery (1890-1918); Frederick John Raftery (1897-1981); George Mafeking Raftery (1900-1920) and Richard Leslie Raftery (1903-1904).
Electoral registers show his father listed in 1896 at 1 Bristol Mews, Paddington, London, but had moved to 15 Bristol Mews by 1900.
In the 1901 census he is shown as aged 9 years and living in three rooms at 16 Bristol Mews, Paddington, with his parents and three brothers. His father was described as a cab driver.
He attended St Saviours School, Shirland Road, Maida Hill and on 10 February 1903, when the family were living at 1 Hayes Place, Lisson Grove, he transferred to the Stephen Street School, (now in Cosway Street, NW8) where he remained until 9 March 1906.
In May 1910 he was appointed as an Assistant Postman in the London Postal Service West.
The 1911 census return form shows him as aged 19 years and an assistant postman G.P.O, living in a five roomed property at 19 Ranston Street, Marylebone, with his parents and two of his brothers: Frederick John Raftery - a G.P.O. messenger and George Mafeking Raftery - at school, together with two male lodgers. His father described himself as taxi-cab driver.
In June 1912 he was promoted to Postman Divn I in West London.
He joined the Gloucestershire Regiment and was posted to their 7th (Service) Battalion. His service number was 22382. The Battalion sailed from Avonmouth on 19 June 1915 for The Balkans and he entered this theatre of war on 16 August 1915. He was killed in action, aged 23 years, on 7 September 1915 and as he has no known grave, he is listed on Stone 103 of the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale, Turkey.
After his death, his father received on 2 December 1915 his effects totalling £2-14s-6d and on 31 July 1919 a war gratuity of £3-10s-0d. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'RAFTERY, W.F.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, on the A Street Near You website, on the London WW1 Memorial website, on the Royal British Legion's Every One Remembered website and on page 310 of the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's Book of Remembrance 1914-1920.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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