2nd Lieutenant Joseph Maurice Fairbairns died On This Day 20th August 1917. His grave is at Poperinghe New Military Cemetery. II H 22. The family lived at "Montpellier" Mount Ephraim Road
Born in Streatham on April 1st 1896 Joseph was the fourth and youngest son of commission agent Thomas Fairbairns and his wife, Elizabeth; not only had all three of his elder brothers, Charles, Wilfred and Reginald, preceded him at Dulwich, but his eldest sister, Dorothy, would also go on to marry an OA, Oswyn Smith.
He started at Dulwich College shortly after his fourteenth birthday, and went on to stay just over four years, leaving in the summer of 1914 whilst a member of the Modern 6th.
At the outbreak of war Joseph signed up as a rifleman in the Artists Rifles, going on to be granted a commission in the Royal Field Artillery in April 1917.
He spent some time after this in training at Woolwich, before returning to the front in August, where he was attached to the 8th Divisional Ammunition Column, involved in the logistics of ammunition supply around Ypres.
Just over a week later, on August 20th, he was in charge of an ammunition convoy near the front line when it was hit by a German shell, killing him and many of his men.
(Dulwich College)
Born in Streatham on April 1st 1896 Joseph was the fourth and youngest son of commission agent Thomas Fairbairns and his wife, Elizabeth; not only had all three of his elder brothers, Charles, Wilfred and Reginald, preceded him at Dulwich, but his eldest sister, Dorothy, would also go on to marry an OA, Oswyn Smith.
He started at Dulwich College shortly after his fourteenth birthday, and went on to stay just over four years, leaving in the summer of 1914 whilst a member of the Modern 6th.
At the outbreak of war Joseph signed up as a rifleman in the Artists Rifles, going on to be granted a commission in the Royal Field Artillery in April 1917.
He spent some time after this in training at Woolwich, before returning to the front in August, where he was attached to the 8th Divisional Ammunition Column, involved in the logistics of ammunition supply around Ypres.
Just over a week later, on August 20th, he was in charge of an ammunition convoy near the front line when it was hit by a German shell, killing him and many of his men.
(Dulwich College)
