LUCAS, Dennis


No.373750, Rifleman, Dennis LUCAS
Aged 37


8th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Post Office Rifles)
formerly 6872, London Regiment
Died of his Wounds on Sunday, 2nd December 1917


Dennis Lucas was born in West Wickham in 1879 (Linton Q4-1879 3B:513) baptised on 20th June 1880 in West Wickham, son of Charles and Mary Anne LUCAS (née CUTTER).

1881 census...Aged 1, he was at The Street, West Wickham with his father Charles LUCAS [25] farm labourer born in Linton and his mother Mary Anne [25] born in Little Abington

1891 census...Aged 11, he was at The Street, West Wickham with his parents; brother Charles W.[7]; sisters Agnes [9], Edith S [5], Beatrice T [3] and Alice L [1]. All the children were born in West Wickham.

1901 census...Aged 21 a pottery labourer, he was at 2 Hastings Road, West Ham, boarding with William and Ada PALMER, their son William [10] and William FLACK, [24] another pottery labourer, also from West Wickham. His parents were at White Hall Cottages, West Wickham with his brother Charles and sisters Beatrice, Alice and Kate [8] and brother John [5]

He married Elizabeth BAKER [16-7-1882] in 1909 (West Ham Q1-1909 4A:255).

1911 census...Aged 31, a tramway conductor, he was at 59 Evesham Road, Portway, West Ham with his wife Elizabeth [27] born Bow Common. His parents were still in West Wickham with his brothers Charles and John (both farm labourer) and his sisters Alice and Kate.

Dennis and Elizabeth had two children, Edith Mary [15-12-1911] and Denis Charles [5-7-1913] at 31 Meath Road, Stephens Road, West Ham.


He was still a tram conductor in 1916 and enlisted in Stratford when resident in West Ham.
Without his service records and dying of his wounds it is impossible to be sure of where and when he was wounded. His battalion were involved around Bourlon Wood at the time.

The Cambridge Independent Press of 11 January 1918 had:-
"Mr and Mrs Charles Lucas of Whitehall Cottages have received news that their eldest son, Rifleman Dennis Lucas, City of London Regiment, was killed in action on December 2nd 1917. He leaves a wife and two little children. He had been living in London for several years before joining the Army. Their youngest son Pte H (Harry) J(John) Lucas of the Suffolks was wounded severely on October 13th 1917. His left leg has been amputated but he is now progressing favourably in hospital in Brighton."




photo: Rodney Gibson



Dennis Lucas is buried in Rocquigny-Equancourt Road Cemetery, Manancourt, grave 6:E:6

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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