Military History

Theatre of War	Medals	Commonwealth War Grave of Memorial
France and Flanders	British War & Victory Medals	Cambrai Memorial
Arrived in Theatre	Medal Citation (if app)	SWFHS Area Memorials
After 1 Jan 1916	~	Warmington
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted Date	Other War Memorials
Battle of Cambrai	Sept 1915 at Banbury	~
Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units
Gonnelieu	~

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)           

On November 30th 1917 the battalion were on the front line at Gonnelieu when the German launched a devastatingly fast and effective counterattack. By 9am, the Germans had penetrated almost 3 miles towards Havrincourt Wood. Byng’s Third Army faced disaster, with the real prospect of several divisions being cut off in the trap. The first attack fell on the 55th (West Lancashire) and 12th (Eastern) Division on the south-eastern side of the salient. The Germans climbed the slope to re-take Lateau Wood, pushed up the complex of shallow ravines south of Banteux, moved through Villers Guislain and past Gouzeaucourt. Amongst the troops defending the artillery positions at Gouzeaucourt were the11th United States Engineer Company. The direction of the assault was across British divisional boundaries, and the command structure rapidly broke down as the troops became mixed up.

Three German divisions attacked to the north, supported by an intense Phosgene barrage, intending to cut the Bapaume-Cambrai road near Anneux Chapel. They were repulsed by the machine gun barrage of the 47th (London), 2nd and 56th (London) Divisions, who had relieved the 36th and 40th. No Germans reached the road. Fierce fighting continued in the southern area for Gonnelieu, Les Rues Vertes and Masnieres.

Eventually, on the 3rd December, Haig ordered a retirement ‘with the least possible delay from the Bourlon Hill-Marcoing salient to a more retired and shorter line’. William was killed during the fighting on December 1st.