Name
William Charles Weston
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/08/1918
38
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sergeant
44700
Essex Regiment
9th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VILLE-SUR-ANCRE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
A. 4.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Bengeo War Memorial Plaque Holy Trinity Church, Bengeo, Hertford Town Memorial, St Andrew’s Church Roll of Honour, Hertford, St Andrew’s Church Memorial, Hertford, Hertford Working Men’s Club (Now Sloppy Joe’s Bar)
Pre War
Born in 1880, in Bengeo, to parents Charles and Ellen, he had one brother and four sisters. In 1881 they were living in 6 Dunscombe Road, Bengeo and in 1911 he was living in Church Road, Bengeo. His father was a commercial traveller and two of his sisters were school teachers whilst William was a solicitor’s clerk.
He married Elizabeth Pearce Weston and she was living at Mahame, Woodfield Park Drive, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, at the time of his death.
Wartime Service
Enlisted in the Bedfordshire regiment as Private 19725 but was transferred the 9th Battalion, Essex Regiment which was formed at Worley in August 1914, went to France on 31st May 1915 landing at Boulogne as part of the 35th Brigade of the 12th Eastern Division.
They took part in the Battle of Loos in September 1915 suffering heavy casualties. In 1916 they began the Somme campaign in action on 2nd July at night, but were unable to reach the enemy lines. The battalion continued fighting on the Somme at Pozieres and Le Transloy. The following year they took part in the Arras offensive at the battle for Scarpe and then at Cambrai. In 1918 they were involved in the British retreat following the German spring offensive in March. Later that year the battalion fought in the First Battle for Albert where William was killed as they attacked enemy lines and took their objectives.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Terry & Glenis Collins
