William was born and brought up in Dolgellau, Merionethshire. He was universally and popularly known as "Billo". He was one of five sons of Mrs Margaret Roberts, Talrafon Buildings, three of whom served in the army. William's brother Evan was killed in the Battle of the Somme on 6 July 1916. 
William enlisted in The Royal Welsh Fusiliers at the outbreak of war. In 1917 he was with the 14th Battalion in the Ypres Salient.    
News of Billo's death came in a letter from Sergeant Hugh Jones, also from Dolgellau. The letter, to Sgt Jones' mother, was later published in Y Dydd, Dolgellau's local newspaper. A translation of the letter is:
"....... Great sorrow, I have grave news to chronicle that Pte William Roberts, the son of Mrs Margaret Roberts was buried this morning, February 24th. Everyone in the Company had a good word for him as a soldier. He died on the spot, shot by a sniper early in the morning. I was chatting to him a couple of days ago after he had been in a squabble with the enemy......"
There is little to identify the location where Billo died.  A letter of condolence from Captain D Morris Jones RWF, to Billo's mother confirmed he was serving in France when he died. Captain Morris Jones wrote that he officiated at Billo's burial on the morning he had died. However, Billo is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery which is located between Pilkem and Ypres, in Belgium. Logically, he must therefore have been in the Ypres Salient when he was killed.
Billo is commemorated on the War Memorial in Dolgellau. 
We will remember him. 
NOTEI believe there may be confusion in some official records between two Royal Welsh Fusiliers with the same name. They are Pte 55315 W Roberts, 14th RWF and Pte 61051 W Roberts, 15th RWF.   Pte 55315 Roberts is Billo. Pte 61051 Roberts, died on 25 July 1917 and was from Bala in Merionethshire. 

Emrys Tippett