Military History

William is listed as dying of wounds on 10th November 1917 at the No 7 Canadian General Hospital in Etaples. A newspaper obituarty, transcribed below, suggests that he was wounded on the 9th, however that seems to be too short a time to evacuate William from the battlefield in near near Ypres to the Etaples area. We have therefore transcribed the 14th Battalion war diary entries for the period 6th to 10th of November below.

Micmac Camp - 6.11.1917: The Battalion marched to Bedford House preparatory to their tour in the trenches. The following awards were made for gallantry on 26/10/17. Bar to Military Medal, Pte 19295 F Shirley, Military Medal to Pte 1475 H Coles and Pte 30209 J.W. Haynes.

Bedford House – 7.11.1917: 13 Infantry Brigade relieve 95^th Infantry Brigade in the line. 14^th R War R (2 Coys) take over left sector north of the Reutelbeek from 12^th Gloucesters. HQ at Jerk House (Pillbox). Remaining two Coys are near Northampton Farm in support to centre sector. 2^nd Lt’s H.C. Bollwell; E.E. Reeves and H.R. Spencer wounded by shellfire. 8 OR wounded. Pte 21264 Williams killed by shell fire.

N of the Reutelbeek – 8.11.1917: Pte. 9507 Walker killed by shell fire, 4 OR wounded.

N of the Reutelbeek – 9.11.1917: Pte 30335 C.H. Stretton died of wounds. 4 OR wounded. A draft of 116 OR’s report for duty.

N of the Reutelbeek – 10.11.1917: Pte 28463 W.A. Pelling died of wounds [In Etaples]. A draft of 23 OR’s report for duty.

Stratford Herald - Friday 16th November 1917
DIED OF WOUNDS - DRUMMER W. A. PELLING

Mr. and Mrs. Pelling of Shakespeare Street received official notice on Sunday morning that their youngest son, Drummer W. A. Pelling (Dick) was wounded on Friday last and lay very dangerously ill at number 7 Canadian General Hospital at Etaples. On Monday a telegram came to them stating that he had died from his
wounds on Saturday and this was followed by a sympathetic letter from the matron of the hospital.

Drummer Pelling joined the Royal Warwicks on 16th November 1914 and went to France in May 1916. He was wounded on July 19th and sent to hospital in England. He returned to France in January of this year and was present at Vimy Ridge engagements. Pelling was a keen member of the Boy Scouts being a drummer and leader in the Stratford troop. For three years before he joined up he was employed at International Stores.