Name
William Charles Page
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/08/1915
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
1317
Essex Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HELLES MEMORIAL
Panel 146 to 151 or 229 to 233.
Turkey (including Gallipoli)
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the High Wych memorials, Old Harlow Memorial Cross
Pre War
William Page was born at High Wych in 1895. He was the son of a worker on the railway (another William).
The 1901 census shows William still living at High Wych, however, by 1911 the family had moved to Old Road in Harlow and William was recorded as a ‘Bricklayer’s Labourer’.
Wartime Service
In 1914 with the coming of war, William was to serve with the 4th Battalion Essex Regiment. This was a Territorial unit and William’s service number confirms that he was indeed a Territorial soldier pre-war.
On the 6 August 1915, the British landed at Sulva Bay as part of the Gallipoli campaign. Further reinforcements were landed over the following week in an attempt to remedy an already lost situation. One of those soldiers landed was William Page. His unit landed on 12 August and William was soon mortally wounded. William survived long enough to be placed on a ship to be taken to hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, but on 31 August 1915 William died of his wounds and was buried at sea.
Although William has no grave he is named on the Helles Memorial Turkey and the Old Harlow Memorial Cross. He was aged 20.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Douglas Coe
