Military History

William is listed as being killed in action on 26th August 1914. The 1st Battalion war diary for the 26th is transcribed below.

26 Aug 1914 – Aucourt: 4.30am - Arrived after a long march about 12 miles - & bivouaced in a cornfield near Aucourt.

5.15am - Heavy Machine fire opened on the King's Own & Lancashire Fus: on Ridge 800x to our front N of us. Regt rapidly got extended & took up a fire position, enemy occupied ridge & opened Maxim & Gun fire.

7.00am - The forward line in Road under Major C. Christie attacked the ridge & reached the top, but were, owing to heavy gun & maxim fire, unable to hold the position. & withdrew in good order with a Company of King's Own to the road with a toll of 7 Officers wounded 40 men killed wounded & missing. We held our position under heavy gunfire for the rest of the day with further casualties [of] 1 Officer and 14 men wounded.

4pm – Towards evening the 12^th Brigade on our right fell back on Ligny. The Regiment now became split up, A Coy having retired as escort for the guns at 3pm. Of the Remainder, about 60 with Col Elkington Withdrew also on Ligny at 6.30 pm.

Major Poole in Command of remainder and still holding the position rcvd his orders & only became aware of the Generale Retirement at about 7.30 pm.

7.30pm - At this time the Enemy were on three sides of position. With detachments of other Regiments similarly situated. Major H.J. Poole affected a retirement by night for 48 hours avoided a collision with the enemy & eventually rejoined the 4^th Division near Ham.