Name
William Percy Langford
1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/09/1917
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
57036
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
19th Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 154 to 159 and 163A.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Letchworth memorials, War Memorial, Stotfold, Beds.
Pre War
William Percy Langford was born 1885 in Whitnash, Leamington Spa to Thomas Henry Langford, printer/compositor, and Sarah (nee Stephens).
On the 1891 Census the family of parents,William, Thomas B (born 1888) and Elizabeth E (born 1890) were living at Bilton Hill, Bilton. Rugby.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, William (a cement worker), Thomas (errand boy), Elizabeth, May L (born 1893), Charles B (born 1896) and Gregory (born 1899) were Living at Bilton, Rugby.
On the 1911 census his parents with Elizabeth & May (bookfolders), Charles (Grocer’s apprentice) and Gregory were living at 29, Pix Road, Letchworth.
William married Edith J Gentle in 1915 in Hitchin District.
There are 2 later addresses for Edith: Asylum Road, Stofold, Beds and 39 Hitchin Road, Stotfold.
Wartime Service
William enlisted as Private 19798 in the Northamptonshire Regiment.
No Service record was found for him so his transfer to the Machine Gun Corps as Private 57036 in 19th Company is not known. It may be that he joined on the establishment of the Company which was formed from the Machine Gun Sections of 19 Brigade, 33 Division (no Northamptonshire contingent) on 24 Feb 1916. In 1916 33 Division took part in the Battles of the Somme at Albert (1-13 Jul), Bazentin (14-17 Jul) and High Wood (20-25 Jul). In 1917 they took part in the battles of Arras at 1st Scarpe (9-14 Apr), 2nd Scarpe (23-24 Apr) before moving to the Ypres area to take part in the Battles of 3rd Ypres(Passchendaele) at Menin Road (20-25 Sep). It was in this last action that William was reported killed in action on 25 Sep 1917.
His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Ypres.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £5 and arrears of £1 18s 1d was paid to his widow Edith.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
