William was born on 25th May 1873 in Stourbridge, Worcestershire. He moved to Canterbury and married Caroline in 1903. He was a labourer and brick-layer. He moved to Birmingham where his son Robert was born in 1910, one of three children, after which he moved to Liverpool. 

     William joined Kitchener's 'New Army' to replace the masses of men lost in the opening months of the war. He did not make much money as a labourer so lied about his age to enlist. His Service Number was 30776. He was in the 9th Battalion, 109th Brigade of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers of the 36th Ulster Division. He landed in France in October 1915. William was injured by a gas attack during the Somme campaign in 1916 and spent 5 months recovering. The Inniskillings as a whole suffered heavy casualties through the Somme Campaign and were eventually pulled out of the line to recuperate, resupply and re-number their ranks. William eventually returned to his unit and held the line at a village called Wytschaete just north of Messines on the road to Ypres. The Regimental Diary records; 

"26-30th April 1917 - During this time our artillery was very active and the enemy artillery showed increased activity, especially his Trench Mortar Batteries. Aerial activity was greatly increased, it being ideal weather for observation purposes. Patrols were regularly sent out from our lines to examine the enemy wire and to obtain information as to the condition of their front line trenches. The activity of our artillery greatly increased, doing damage to his support lines. Total, all ranks, 1,015." 

     William was wounded during this time and likely evacuated to the nearby field hospital. He died from his wounds on 1st May 1917. He was 43years old. His son Bob was only 6years old at the time and would barely remember him.

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