Major Dench Major was born on 15th July 1879 in Great Whelnetham, Suffolk, son of Alice and Charles James Major, a brewer. Between 1905 and 1911, Major moved with his partner, Elizabeth, and daughter, Florence, to 3 Prospect Place, Melton. He worked as a nursery foreman. It was not until the third quarter of 1916 that Major and Elizabeth married, possibly to confirm his status as a married man which would delay his conscription into the armed forces and provide a pension for his wife and daughter should anything happen to him.

Major joined the services in July 1916 and underwent basic training until being posted to the Siege Reinforcing Depot, based at Stowlangtoft in Suffolk. From here, he was posted to join the 409th Siege Battery and sent to France on 12th August 1917. Upon arrival, the battery was deployed to Vlamertinghe, near Ypres, where the Third Battle of Ypres also known as Passchendale was taking place. Major’s battery of four 6-inch Howitzers was to play a large part in the Battle of Passchendaele, providing barrages to support the troops on the front line.

On 17th September 1917, the gun Major was assigned to was hit by enemy fire and, along with six other men from the battery, he was killed. All the men are buried together in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery.

For his war service, Major’s family received his British War and Victory Medals. By the end of the war, Elizabeth and Florence had moved to Church Cottage, Kentford near Newmarket.