HIGGINS, William Henry. CH. WW1. CWGC.

Died 25/07/1917 Age 25. Air Mechanic 1st Class, Royal Flying Corps, 199th Depot Sqdn. (East Retford). Service Number 4844. Son of Frederick and Margaret J. Higgins, of 24, Radbourne St., Derby.

William Henry HIGGINS was born in Derby in the autumn of 1891 to Frederick Higgins and his wife Margaret Jane Higgins (nee Deacon), both originally from Lincolnshire. In 1891 they lived at 37 Leonard Street Derby, but by 1901 they and a second son Ernest and were living at 41 Langley Street, Derby. Still at 41 Langley Street in 1911 they had two more sons, by which time William Henry HIGGINS was an apprentice joiner.

On 26 April 1915 William Henry HIGGINS joined the fledgling Royal Flying Corps, and by 1917 he was an Airman 1st Class assigned to 199 (Night) Training Squadron at East Retford airfield, a First World War airfield opened in 1917, primarily for pilot night flying training. On 25 July 1917, whilst he was starting the engine of an aeroplane by swinging the propeller by hand, he was struck on the head by the propeller blades and died.

William Henry HIGGINS was given a military funeral and buried at Nottingham Road Cemetery on 27 July 1917. When he died his family were living at 24 Radbourne Street, Derby; his father Frederick Higgins died in March 1933 and his mother Margaret Jane Higgins died in March 1948.

Sources: Derby Census of 1891, 1901, 1911 and 1921. Marriage and Birth Records. Royal Flying Corps Attestation Record and Casualty Card. Newspaper articles and announcements.