Field, David

Age: 28
Date of birth: 1890

Parents: David and Kate Field
Wife: Mary Elizabeth Field nee Donnellan
Address: 6 Chapel Row

Occupation: Labourer

David’s parents were David and Catherine (known as Kate) Field.  He was baptised on 27th April 1890 at St Nicholas Church.  David Senior was working as a Mess Waiter at Budbrooke Barracks, home of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

In 1891, when David was just under one year old, the family lived at 74 Saltisford and David senior was still serving with the RWR.

The 1901 and 1911 census’ shows that David was the eldest of ten children.  His brothers and sisters were Catherine (19), Thomas (18), Malvina (15), Phyllis (14), Topsy (11), Mildred (11), Joseph (9) Gary (5) and Allan (1).  These were their ages in 1911.

David Senior was working as a Caretaker for a Church of England School in 1911 and David junior was working as a Plumber’s Labourer.

David married Mary Elizabeth Donnellan during Q3 of 1914.  His pension record shows that they went on to have two children, David Michael and Kathleen Mary.  Mary Elizabeth applied for David to be included on the Warwick War Memorial.

Military Service

Rank & Number: Company Sergeant Major, 267126
Regiment/Service: 1st/7th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Brigade/Division: 143rd Brigade, 48th Division
Date of death: Thursday, August 08, 1918
Cause of death/Battle: Died of shrapnel wounds
Commemorated/Buried: Barenthal Military Cemetery, Italy
Awards: Military Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Commemorated locally at: St Nicholas Church

David’s enrolment form says that he had already served in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment for 8 years and 7 days.  His father had also previously served with the RWR.

This notice of David’s promotion was published in the Warwick Advertiser of 3rd July 1915:

David was killed on the same day, at the same place, as Rex Jackson, who is also commemorated on Warwick War Memorial.

Warwick Advertiser 31st August 1918

” …probably the best known and best liked man in the battalion”

Details of David’s Military Medal can be found in the London Gazette 14th Jan 1918

Contributors

  • Unlocking Warwick Research Group
  • Warwick Advertiser excerpt courtesy of Warwickshire County Record Office
  • Family photograph courtesy of Lorraine Coles (whose late husband was David’s nephew)

Leave a Reply