Name
William Flitton
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/07/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
200760
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st/5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GAZA WAR CEMETERY
XII. D. 7.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Leagrave, Limbury & Biscot, Leagrave, Beds.
Pre War
William Flitton was born in 1897 in Watbridge, Luton to David Flitton, an agricultural labourer, and Jane (nee Grundon). On the 1901 Census William and the family of Father, Mother, and Sisters Maude, Florence, Sarah were living at Biscot, Limbury. On the 1911 Census the family were now living at Letchworth Road, Limbury and 3 younger brothers and a younger sister. William was working as a farm labourer.
Wartime Service
William enlisted in the 5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 5045. (Renumbered as 200760 in Territorial Force reform 1917). It is likely that he volunteered in early autumn 1914 and was probably a member of B or C Company, whowere stationed in Luton. The Battalion, as a Territorial Force Unit was deployed on Guard Duties in East Anglia and was designated for overseas service (as 1/5 Battalion) after most of the men volunteered in Spring 1915. William landed with the Battalion on Gallipoli on 10 Aug 1915 and served there until the Battalion was withdrawn to Egypt on 4 Dec 1915. There would a year defending the Canal Zone in Egypt before William and the Battalion was deployed to Palestine. The Battalion were engaged in Raids on Umbrella Hill, Gaza on July 20 1917 in which action received wounds from which in died on 21 Jul 1917.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £10 10s and arrears of £11 0s 5d was paid to his mother Jane.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
