Name
William John Rogers Field
1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/03/1916
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
10801
Royal Berkshire Regiment
5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 93 to 95.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the missing.
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, St Andrew's Church Memorial, Watford, Wigginton Village Memorial, Not on the Tring Memorials
Pre War
William Field was born in 1889, in Marylebone, London / Middx, son of Mary Louisa Birch (B 1864 in Staverton, Devon).
The 1891 Census records William aged 2, staying with his grandmother Mary Maple and her son William Maple at The Pheasant, Wigginton, Herts.
His mother married William Birch on 18 April 1892 in Potsgrove, Beds. She died 1951 in the Hemel Hempstead, Herts, district aged 86, and was buried 20 January in Heath Lane Cemetery, Hemel Hempstead.
1901 Census records William aged 12, at school, living with his mother and stepfather William Birch, stepbrothers, Joseph 8, George 6, John 2 and stepsister May 4, his grandmother Mary Maple is also staying with them, near the Brewhouse, Wigginton, Herts.
1911 Census records William aged 22, working as a Farm Labourer, living at home with his mother, stepfather and stepbrothers Joseph 18, George 16, John 12, and Sidney 7, near The Pheasant, Wigginton, Herts.
William lived in Tring.
Wartime Service
William enlisted in London and posted to the Princes Charlotte of Wale's (Royal Berkshire) Regiment with the Service No. 10801.
The 5th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment was a Kitchener Battalion (K1) raised at Reading in August 1914, then moved to Shorncliffe, in January 1915, they moved to Folkestone and then to Aldershot. He overseas service commenced on 31st May 1915 and landing at Boulogne. They were part of 35th Brigade in 12th (Eastern) Division and engaged in various action on the Western Front.
In February 1916 the Battalion was in the front line at Loo's, William was Killed in Action on 20th March 1916, he has no known grave and is Commemorated on the Loo's Memorial to the Missing.
He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals.
Additional Information
There are Death announcements for William in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 1 April 1916 and 15 April 1916. The value of his effects were £2-9s-8d, Pay Owing and £7-10s-0d, War Gratuity which went to his mother Mary. His stepbrother John Birch was Killed in Action on 21st March 1918, aged 19 and is Commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial to the missing. Unfortunately, William’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild, Stuart Osborne., Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
