William was born on 12th July 1897 in Faversham, Kent to parents Celia and Albert.
He was recorded aged 2 in the 1901 census, the 3rd of 4 children. 10 years later the family lived at 14 Church Road, The Brents, Faversham, William then aged 12, at school and the 3rd of 7 children.
He joined the Royal Navy on 27th October 1915 once old enough, following his older brother into being a Stoker. He was 5'11" tall with dark brown hair and brown eyes.
His service follows:-
PEMBROKE II - 27/10/1915 - 30/01/1916 as a Stoker 2nd Class
GIBRALTAR - 31/01/1916 - 05/06/1916
PEMBROKE II - 06/06/1916 - 23/07/1916
VANGUARD - 24/07/1916 - 13/03/1917 (rising to Stoker 1st Class on 20/10/1916)
PEMBROKE II - 14/03/1917 - 21/03/1917
VANGUARD - 22/03/1917 - 09/07/1917
William wrote home on Sunday 8th July 1917, his parents receiving his letter on Wednesday 11th July 1917. He was killed just 3 days short of his 20th birthday, his brother Clarence also being a tragic casualty.
(#78 - 492/843)
Sources:
1901 & 1911 England Census - Ancestry.com
England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 - Ancestry.com
CWGC Register
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188 924
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242 009; (1914 - 1919)
National Archives Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
East Kent Gazette.
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