Military History

William is listed as being killed in action on 4th October 1916. The 7th Battalion war diary entries for the period 3rd to 5th of October are transcribed below.

Schwaben Redoubt – 3^rd Oct 1916: At dawn the Germans again attacked B Coy between Points 16 and 45 but were driven off. The whole line was subjected to heavy shelling during the day.

8pm: A working party of 8^th E Surrey Regt came up and deepened the front line trench from Points 86 to 22.

12mn: 2^nd Lt Chant with one platoon of 7^th Buffs took over a portion of our line held by A Coy on the right.

Schwaben Redoubt – 4^th Oct 1916: The whole line subjected to heavy shelling during the day. About 6pm enemy again attacked from Point 16 but were driven off. Lt. Hackett killed by hostile shell fire.

Schwaben Redoubt – 5^th Oct 1916: During the night 4^th/5^th officers of various units arrived at our HQ and hinted vaguely at an attack to clear the Schwaben by the 8^th Norfolk to be carried out in the morning. No notification was ever received by the Battalion of this attack. It, however, took place and appeared to be at first successful, as our Lewis guns obtained a number of excellent targets against Germans retiring across the open, but a determined enemy counter-attack appears to have neutralised the initial success.