Name
William Henry White
9 November 1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/09/1918
38
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
91895
Durham Light Infantry
15th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GOUZEAUCOURT NEW BRITISH CEMETERY
I. F. 8.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Ashridge Park memorial is not readable, Little Gaddesden Village Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Little Gaddesden, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour (2018 Revision), Little Gaddesden, Not on the Little Gaddesden memorials, Not on the Frithsden memorials, We are not aware of any memorial in Ringshall
Pre War
The CWGC record William Henry as the son of Samuel and Mary White, of Little Gaddesden, Berkhamsted, Herts., and husband of Elizabeth Ann White, of Thunderdell Lodge, Ashridge Park, Aldbury, Tring, Herts.
William Henry White was born on 9 November 1880 in Frithsden, the son of William and Elizabeth White, one of six children. On the 1881 Census he was living at No. 8 Frithsden, Berkhamsted, Herts with his mother and elder sister Ellen. His father was not at home on Census night.
William was educated at Little Gaddesden School from 1 June 1885. Sadly his mother died from consumption in 1889, aged 35, but his father remarried to Emma Smith at St Mary the Virgin at Edlesborough on 29 June 1890 and on the 1891 Census William was living with his father and stepmother at Covetous Corner, Hudnall, with three of his siblings. However, his sister Lydia was living with grandparents in Dorchester and his brother Reginald was with an aunt and uncle in Dorset.
On the 1901 Census he was living with his father, stepmother and siblings Wesley and Annie at Covetous Corner, Little Gaddesden, Herts where his father was a Gamekeeper and he was working as a Carter on a Farm.
William had become a Gamekeeper on the Ashridge Estate by the time he married Elizabeth Ann Woodhams (b 18/8/1876) at All Saints, Banstead, Surrey on 29 April 1905 and in the marriage documents it was confirmed that William was living in Little Gaddesden, and that his father, Samuel, was a gamekeeper, as was William. They went on to have five children: Wesley Allan (b10/5/1906), Grace Mary (b 6/12/1907), William Samuel George (b 1/11/1909), Florence Elizabeth (b 23/8/1911) and Francis Wallbridge (b 24/8/1914).
At the time of the 1911 Census they were living at the Keepers House, Ringshall, Berkhamsted with children Wesley (1906), Grace (1907) and William (1909), They later had Florence (1911) and Francis (1914).
The SDITGW database suggest that he was born in Berkhamsted, Herts. and enlisted there, however this could be the nearest main town and may mean Little Gaddesden or Frithsden.
Wartime Service
He attested at Berkhamsted on 6th December 1915 and was mobilised on 29th May 1916.
His service records suggest that he was transferred between the 11th Royal Fusiliers and then 4th Royal Fusiliers with service numbers 60586 and G/73592 but the order is not clear and possibly relates to his wounding. However, he was transferred to the 15th Durham Light Infantry on 31 March 1918. At that point he was allocate the service number 79746 before re-numbering to 91895.
He enlisted in December 1915 as Private 91895 into the Durham Light Infantry, when he was working as a gamekeeper and living at Keepers House, Ringshall, Berkhamsted. He was described as 35, 5' 10" and of good physical development
Although difficult to read his service records appears to show that he was on mobilised on 7 June 1916 and on Home service (training) to 25 September 1916 and then overseas joining his battalion on 15 October 1916. He sprained his ankle on 17 January 1917 and received treatment until the 29th when he re-joined his battalion, until 13 October 1917, when he returned to England.
He received serious gunshot wounds to knees, chest, neck and thigh (possibly 22 September 1917) and was in the 2nd Birmingham War Hospital between 14 October and 16 November 1917.
Having recovered, he re-joined the B.E.F. on 30 March 1918 and was transferred to the 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.
He was killed in action on 9 September 1918, aged 38, at Gouzeaucourt, France during the 100 Days Offensive and is buried in Gouzeaucourt New British Cemetery, Nord, France.
Additional Information
After his death, he was recorded as the son of Samuel and Mary White, of Little Gaddesden, Berkhamsted, Herts.; husband of Elizabeth Ann White, of Thunderdell Lodge, Ashridge Park, Aldbury, Tring, Herts.
He left all his property and possessions to his wife. After his death £10 0s 6d was authorised to go to his widow, Elizabeth on 11 January 1919. Later, a war gratuity of £10 was authorised to be paid to her, on 18 December 1919.
His pension cards record Elizabeth his widow as his next of kin/dependant, living at Keepers House, Ringshall, Berkhamsted - later amended to Thunderdell Lodge, Aldbury, near Tring. She was awarded a grant of £10 19 October 1918 and then a pension of 37s 11d a week from 7 April 1919.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, dacorumheritage.org.uk, hemelatwar.org., littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk
