William Elsdon was born in April 1893 in Tynemouth, to Mary Ann and Thomas. He would have 12 siblings (7 of whom would die in infancy). 

At the outbreak of war, William joined the Northumberland Fusiliers straight away, and by May 1915, found himself in barracks at Hursley Park, awaiting to march to Winchester, entrain to Folkestone and travel to France. 

He arrived on 15 July 1915, and was on frontline within days. By the end of August, he was still in the frontline with C Company near Vierstraat (to be relieved on the evening of the 31st) when, at 6pm, he and 2 others were killed in trench N7 from rifle grenades. 3 others were also wounded. 

He received the 14-15 Star, British War and Victory medals, and is remembered at Menin Gate in Ypres. 

Two years later, on 19 May 1917, his brother Thomas (aged only 22), a gunner with the 256 Battery, RFA (no. 117779) was also killed in action. 

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