Aicken, William Michael Jackson (William)
Rifleman
No. 72925, 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Died of disease on Friday 28 March 1919 (aged 27)
Buried:
Codford St. Mary (St. Mary) New Churchyard, Wiltshire (Grave 137)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
BIOGRAPHY
Rifleman William Michael Jackson Aicken (No. 72925) meets one of the criteria for inclusion on this website:
Casualties who had strong family connections with the area.
Rifleman William Michael Jackson Aicken was born on 12 June 1891 in West Coast, New Zealand, and he was a son of William Russell Aicken (born around 1845 at Bangor, Co Down; emigrated to New Zealand) and Rose Ann Jessie Aicken (nee Jackson, born 1852 in Scotland), who were married in 1882 in New Zealand.
Rifleman Aicken’s father, William Aicken a retired roadman, died on 25 April 1933, and his mother, Jessie Aicken, died on 8 May 1938. Both were buried in Greymouth, West Coast, New Zealand.
Rifleman Aicken’s paternal grandparents, James Aicken (born around 1821 at Ballymaconnell, Bangor) and Eliza Aicken (nee Russell) were married on 14 May 1844 in First Bangor Presbyterian Church.
Eliza Aicken died of heart disease at Ballymaconnell, Bangor on 10 November 1901 (aged 80), and James Aicken died of heart disease on 9 May 1907 (aged 86), while living at Groomsport Road, Bangor. Both were buried in Bangor Abbey Graveyard and there is an inscription on the headstone:
ERECTED BY
JAMES AICKEN BALLYMACONNELL
IN MEMORY OF HIS BELOVED WIFE ELIZA AICKEN
DIED 10TH NOVEMBER 1901 AGED 80 YEARS
ALSO, THE ABOVE- NAMED JAMES AICKEN
DIED 9TH MAY 1907 AGED 86 YEARS
ALSO, THEIR DAUGHTER JANE AICKEN
DIED 22ND MARCH 1925
ALSO, THEIR SON
JAMES ARTHUR AICKEN
DIED 14TH JULY 1938
William Michael Jackson Aicken worked as a labourer (horse driver) before he enlisted on 17 October 1917 at Greymouth, and he served with the 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade. On Sunday 8 September 1918 he accidentally sustained a fractured left fibula at Brocton Camp in Staffordshire. He and Rifleman Bisset were wrestling in the camp dormitory that evening whilst off duty.
Rifleman William Michael Jackson Aicken (No. 72925) died from broncho pneumonia (following measles) on 28 March 1919 in the 3rd New Zealand General Hospital, Codford. He was buried in Codford St. Mary (St. Mary) New Churchyard, Wiltshire.
Rifleman William Michael Jackson Aicken’s paternal grandfather, James Aicken, and Corporal Walter Edgar’s maternal great-grandfather, Thomas Aicken, were brothers.