Name
William James Odell
1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/11/1917
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
27321
Norfolk Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DOZINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY
XIII. B. 6.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the World
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin
Pre War
William was born in 1898 in Hitchin and christened on 13 March 1898 in St. Mary’s Church, Hitchin . His parents were William and Maria Odell.
In 1901 the family were living at 2 Brickyard, Hitchin Hill, Hitchin. Present were both parents: William (39) and Maria (38), with William working as a bricklayer. Their children were: Sarah (12), Florie (9), Ethel (7), Maria (5), William James (3) and Robert (7 months).
By 1911 the family address was recorded as 2 New Brickfield Cottage, Hitchin Hill, Hitchin, Herts. Present were both parents, William still working as a bricklayer. The census recorded they had been married for 27 years with 10 children, of whom 2 had died. Of the Children Florence and Ethel were absent, but the rest were present, and they had been joined by Helen Mary (7) and Henry Walter (4).
Officially William was recorded as born in Hitchin, Herts., and enlisting there.
Wartime Service
He went to the Western Front in April 1917. He joined the 8th Battalion of the Norfolks and was given the Regimental Number 27321. He was killed in action during the time that the Battalion was part of the 53rd Brigade in the 18th (Eastern) Division of the XIX Corps of the 5th Army in the Second Battle of Passchendaele during 3rd Battle of Ypres.
The 18th Division had been heavily engaged in the area of Poelcappelle from the 22nd October 1917 onwards.
He has an in the National Roll of the Great War – these were normally placed by family members using what they knew and are not always 100% correct, his records that he took part in many important engagements and was killed in the Third Battle of Ypres. However, records that he was attached 258 Tunnel Company, Royal Engineers at the time of his death. William died of wounds on 6 November 1917 , but it is unclear when they were received. Looking in the war diary for that date and backwards from it the tunnellers were working more or less normall for a month or two before. It seems probably that William was in a working party supporting them and perhaps suffered shelling or sniping.
He was buried in Plot 13, Row B, Grave 6 in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium. Dozinghem served several Casualty Clearing Stations in the area and was situated north of Poperinghe and is a British Army play of words on the Flemish language.
Additional Information
After his death £10 6s 6d pay owing was authorised to go to his mother, Maria Odell, on 8 April 1918. Later, a war gratuity of £3 was authorised to be paid to her on 7 November 1919.
His pension cards record his mother, as his dependant, living at 56 Hitchin Hill, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 6s a week from 21 May 1918. After her death the details were amended to his father at 12-14 Stevenage Road, Hitchin.
His father William Odell ordered his headstone inscription which living at 56 Hill, Hitchin, it reads: “BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD”.
He is also remembered on his parents’ headstone in Hitchin and the inscription reads:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF WILLIAM JAMES ODELL
8TH NORFOLK REGT. BELOVED SON OF WILLIAM AND MARIA ODELL
WHO DIED OF SHELL WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION IN FRANCE
NOV 6TH 1917 AGED 19
SHORT WAS YOUR LIFE DEAR SON
8TH NORFOLK REGT. BELOVED SON OF WILLIAM AND MARIA ODELL
WHO DIED OF SHELL WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION IN FRANCE
NOV 6TH 1917 AGED 19
SHORT WAS YOUR LIFE DEAR SON
the rest is difficult to read but may be readable on site.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
