David Craig Mackness

Rank 
Lance Corporal
Regiment 
The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
Date of death 
31 July 1918
Age of death 
26
Address 
84 Elgin Road
Seven Kings
Ilford
IG3 8LN
Address source 
1911 Census
Cemetery / Memorial 
France
Biography 

David joined the school as a 13 year old in January 1905. He had previously lived and studied in Haringey. His father was a Secretary and the family lived in Balmoral Gardens, Seven Kings.

In the 1911 census, David is still living at home with his parents, older sister and younger brother. His father, Clement, was an accountant’s clerk. Like his father and two siblings, David took up clerical work. He worked for a Public Financial Company (The South West Africa Company).

His army service record reveals that he had attended annual training with the London Regiment every Summer from 1909-1913. He began this army career aged 17 years and 6 months, whilst working as a clerk for the South West Africa Company. He attended his first 15 days training with the 1st London Brigade Royal Field Artillery in August 1909. He was discharged in February 1913.

He enlisted again during the war at Assam, Dibragarh. When he died on 31st July 1918, he was serving as a Lance Corporal with the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 2nd Battalion. His service number was 20614.

Research by Andrew Emeny, History Teacher at ICHS

Sources:

Ancestry.com

ICHS school records and magazines

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Note

Ilford County High School started life as the Park Higher Grade School in 1901 in Balfour Road, Ilford. It was renamed Ilford County High School (or initially County High School, Ilford) in the years after the school’s management was transferred from Ilford School Board to Essex Education Committee in 1904.