Military History

William is listed as being killed in action on 15 Jun 1915.The 2nd Battalion war diary entry for that day is transcribed below.

Trenches - Windy Corner - 14^th: Battalion paraded at 2.45pm and proceeded to take up position in trenches at Givenchy relieving Scots Guards and Border Regt. C & D Companies left Windy Corner at 7pm. A&B Companies left at 9pam and occupied trenches as follows: Firing line J.7 to I.5 and Supports – Scottish Trench and New Cut.

Owing to congestion in the trenches relief was not completed until 2am 15^th inst.

Trenches - Windy Corner - 15^th: During the day trench J7-I.5 was shelled and the defenders 2 platoons of each of C & D Coys suffered a few casualties.

At 6pm the battalion commenced to attack the line I.12, J.14-J.13. On quitting their trenches the leading Companies (C&D) were subjected to a heavy frontal and enfilade fire, the later from I-4 - I.9. As the advance progressed it was enfiladed by Machine Gun fire from both flanks, on the right from the foot of the hill between I.12 & I.3 and on the left from Machine Guns concealed in the grass somewhere west of J.13.

B Company followed in support of C&D and occupied J.7 – I.5. A Company in reserve in Scottish Trench. The firing line reached a point about 50 yards west of German trench at J.14. There was then only 1 officer not hit in the two leading Companies.

At 7.5pm half of A Company went forward to endeavour to push on the attack which had been held up. This half company with hald B Company then advanced and was subjected to enfilade fire from the crater and could not advance beyond the disused Old German Trench.

At 9pm the situation was as follows – The Regiment occupying the Old German trench with C&D Coys in front of them and the French J.7 to I.5 and were in touch with the Grenadier Guards on left of J.7. Groups from C&D Coys were returning to old German trench from the front. Orders were received to attack the German line at 9.15pm in conjunction with the Bedford and Yorkshire Regts. The time was subsequently altered to 10pm.

In order to form up for the attack the Companies which were holding the old German trench and were being enfiladed from the right were ordered back to Scottish trench with orders to form up in rear of it to clear the field of fire of the Company holding J.7 -I.5. the order to attack was subsequently cancelled as far as the Regiment was concerned and instructions were received to hand over the trenches to the Bedford Reg and return to Windy Corner.

The battalion suffered a total of 209 casualties during these actions including William.