South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project
The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One |
|
|
|
Military History |
| Theatre of War | Medals | Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial |
|---|---|---|
| France and Flanders | British War & Victory Medals | Arras Memorial |
| Arrived in Theatre | Medal Citation (if app) | SWFHS Area Memorials |
| After 1 Dec 1916 | ~ | Warwick (Eleanor Cross) War Memorial |
| Warwick All Saints | ||
| Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed | Date and Place Enlisted | |
| German Spring Offensive | 11 Oct 1916 in London | |
| Place of Death | Date Commissioned | Previous Regiments or Units |
| Hermies | 24 Sep 1917 (Gazette) from London Regt | Pvt 8669, 28th Bn, London Regiment |
Circumstances of Death
|
William is listed as being killed in action on 21 Mar 1918. The following is an extract describing the events of that from The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914-18 - Edited by Major-General C.R. Simpson. Click here to download a PDF version of the book. We have also transcribed a Newspaper report on his death. Book Extract"The night of the 20th/21st of March which preceded the great German attack was extraordinarily peaceful. Tension in the front-line trenches had for several days and nights been almost unbearable-there was an uncanny feeling of something in the air thus described in a battalion diary : “ Added to a certain apprehension difficult to diagnose there is a general restlessness all round.” At least sixty-four German divisions took part in the attacks on the 21st March, on a front of about fifty-four miles, To meet these, the Third Army (Byng) had eight divisions in the line, and seven in reserve. The Fifth Army (Gough) had eleven divisions in the line, and three infantry divisions and three cavalry divisions in reserve, The total on the original battle front, on our side, was, therefore, nineteen divisions in the line, and ten infantry divisions and three cavalry divisions in reserve. On the northern point of the Flesquieres Salient the Germans opened their bombardment at 4.50 and at 5 a.m. extended north along the front of the 17th and 51st Divisions. A little later Hermies was also under heavy shell-fire, the enemy using large quantities of phosgene gas shells. The 52nd Brigade, on the right, and 50th Brigade, on the left, held the 17th Divisional front, the 51st Brigade being then located in the Hermies defences. The 7th Lincolnshire were, therefore, not in the front line when the great attack opened. The battalion manned battle positions which consisted of trenches extending round the eastern, northern and north-western exits of Hermies, the order of companies being D, C and B (from right to left), with A in reserve. Th e gas shelling slackened at about I I a.m., otherwise the bombardment lasted all day, causing casualties : 2nd Lieutenant W.J. Hirons and three other ranks were killed and and Lieutenant Harrison and ten other ranks wounded. [A newspaper article reported that he was killed by shrapnel hitting him in the chest]. The 21st thus passed without the 7th Lincolnshire coming in contact with the enemy’s infantry". Newspaper ReportWarwick Advertiser – Saturday 13th April 1918 Mr. and Mrs. Hirons, Wharf-street, Warwick have received news of the death in action on March 21st of the son Second-Lieutenant William J. Hirons of the Lincolnshire Regiment. Mr Hirons, who was 22, volunteered in 1916 and joined the Artists Rifles and received his training in France. He gained a Commission and was Gazetted on September 24th 1917. The Commanding Officer writes to his father: "I can't tell you what a blank your son's death has caused in my battalion. He was loved by both officers and men, and his place will be very, very hard to fill again. I knew him espicially well, as he was acting as my Adjutant for six weeks during the winter, and I know well what a lovable nature he had. He was killed practically instantaneously by shrapnel in the chest, and I don't think he suffered at all. I fully know what an awful blank it will be for you and your wife, but I always look at "death in action" as not death at all but a glorious end to a brave life". |
| Personal & Family History |
| Birth Date/Place | Baptism Date/Place |
|---|---|
| Oct Qtr 1895 in Newington | 1 Dec 1895 at Newington St Mary's |
| Parents Names | Abode |
| William and Emma Hirons | 55 Humphris Street, Warwick |
| Schools | Colleges |
| Coton End School | ~ |
| Address History | Employment History |
| 1895 - 83 Crampton Street, Newington, London | 1911 - Newsboy |
| 1901 - 11 Woodhouse Street, Warwick | 1915 - Premium Bonds Clerk |
| 1911 - Lawn Stables, Wharf Street, Warwick | |
| 1916 - 55 Humphris Street, Warwick | |