Military History

William is listed as being killed in action on 29 Oct 1914 at Gheluvert. The war diary for the period 27th to 29th Oct 1914 is transcribed below.

Oct 27^th 1914 – Gheluvelt: The advance Bing night during early hours of the day. Orders were received to advance on trenches held by our troops just West off the Becelaere-Wervicq Road with a view to an attack on the German trenches opposed to them. However at night at Italian occupied a continuation of our trenches somewhat further north.

Oct 28^th 1914 – Gheluvelt: Held the above line of trenches

Oct 29^th 1914 – Gheluvelt: an attack by the Germans, of which notice was received, was beaten off at 5.30am in dense mist but was successful further South at crossroads E.S.E of Gheluvelt, the result being that the Battalions trenches were almost immediately afterward attacked from the right rear.

A retirement appears to have been ordered and a small portion of the Battalion reformed covering the east side of Gheluvelt village on the south side of the Ypres-Menin Road covering A Battery R.F.A. At night the Battalion was withdrawn a bivouacked in woods W of Gheluvent in Brigade Reserve. END

The 1st Battalion suffered considerable casualties at Gheluvelt on 29th October. The Regimental history records it lost all the 11 officers present and could only muster some 60 men at the end of the action. More than 180 other ranks were killed, wounded or captured. Four days later, after reinforcement, the Battalion almost ceased to exist, having again been reduced to no officers, and only 120 men.