Name
William George Narborough
1899
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/06/1918
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
55149
North Staffordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
COURMAS BRITISH CEMETERY
II. H. 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead
Pre War
William George Narborough was one of twins, born in 1899 in Chicheley, Bucks, the son of William and Martha Narborough. His twin was John Andrew Narborough and he had a younger sister Amy (named after his aunt).
On the 1901 Census the family were living at The Chester Arms, Chicheley, Bucks where his father was the Licensed Victualler and at the time of the 1911 Census the family were visitors at the Swan Hotel, Fenny Stratford, Bucks where Walter Larkin was the Hotel Manager.
William gave his address as the Rose & Crown, Hemel Hempstead, Herts on his enlistment form and his trade as a gas fitter. His parents later lived at the Star Brewery, 25 Bury Road, Hemel Hempstead.
Wartime Service
William enlisted in Watford on 23 March 1917 and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment (reg. No. 51044). He was briefly put on the reserve list and called up two months later before being sent to Harwich and then Colchester for basic training and qualified as a Lewis Gunner on 11 October 1917.
He was promoted to unpaid Lance Corporal on 1 June 1917, then Lance Corporal on 4 June 1917, but reverted to Private for "not complying with an order" on 1 January 1918.
He was transferred to Bedfordshire Regiment Territorial Force and posted to 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment on 4 April 1918 before embarking from Dover on 5 April 1918. When he arrived in France he was transferred to A Company, 8th Battalion, North Staffordshire (Prince of Wales's) Regiment on 6 April 1918.
He was killed in action in France on 3 June 1918, age 19 when in the front line at Mery-Premecy, Near Reims, and is buried at Courmas British Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £4 10s and pay owing of £6 7s 2d. She also received a pension of 9 shillings for life. N.B. his brother John enlisted at the same time and had reg. nos. 51043 (Beds Regt) and 55148 (North Staffs Regt.) He was wounded, apparently at the same time as his brother, and suffered a leg fracture, according to a letter from the Chaplain which his parents received and which was reproduced in the local newspaper. He received a Silver War Badge No. B263783 (given to service personnel who were honourably discharged due to wounds or sickness) and was discharged on 17 July 1919, having survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www dacorumheritage.org.uk. www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com.
