Name
John William (poss William John) Wallis
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/03/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
203199
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
2nd/5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Thomas’s Church, West Hyde
Pre War
William Wallis was born in Acton in 1898, son of John Edward and Mary Gist Wallis.
In 1901 they were living at 3 Allan Cottages, Hounslow, Middlesex where his father John was employed as a builder’s manager. (Surname given as Wallace). William had three older sisters and a younger brother. By 1911 they had moved to Troy Mill House, West Hyde, where John Wallis was described as a builder and employer. The census records that another sibling had died.
All five surviving children were still living at home and William was at school, presumably St Thomas’s school in West Hyde.
Wartime Service
William attested on 6th June 1916, aged 18 years 7 months and was originally in the Bedfordshire Regiment (no. 30075), transferring to the Sherwood Foresters on 6th June 1916. He gave his occupation as joiner’s apprentice and was described as being 5ft 8in tall and weighing 121lb.
The regiment embarked for France on 26th February 1917. On the 25th June 1917 he was given three days Field Punishment No 2 for “Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline”. FP No. 2 consisted of the convicted man being shackled for up to 2 hours in 24, and not for more than 3 days in 4, or for more than 21 days in his sentence.
On March 21st 1918, the 2nd/5th Battalion were at Noreuil. A 4 hour bombardment was followed by an attack by the enemy who took 8 hours to penetrate 2000 yards. The battalion was eventually surrounded and cut off. Private Wallis was reported missing on 21 March 1918, presumed dead.
Additional Information
War service record is available.
Acknowledgments
P Szelewski, Jonty Wild
