Name
William Millar Bird
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/07/1916
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
23500
The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
9th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
FLATIRON COPSE CEMETERY, MAMETZ
Plot I, Row A, Grave 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Watford Grammar School Memorial, Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance, Bushey Baptist Church Memorial, Bushey
Pre War
William Millar Bird was the elder son of William and Jane Hannah Bird (nee Miller) of 33 Capel Road, Oxhey.
His parents married 1888 in the Berkhamsted, Herts, district. Jane died 1914 in Oxhey, Herts, aged 57, and was buried 24 June at St James’, Bushey, Herts; William possibly died 1942 in the Hitchin, Herts, district aged 80.
William was born 23 September 1889 in Watford. On the 1891 Census, aged 1 he lived in Bushey, Herts, with his parents and no siblings. On the 1901 Census, aged 11 he still lived in Bushey, with his parents and one sibling.
William attended Watford Grammar School from April 1903 to December 1905. He resided in Watford.
His father was a grocer and he had a younger brother, Ernest, born in about 1903. His mother helped run the grocery business. Both William and Ernest grew up in Oxhey.
By 1911 the family had moved to 44 Villiers Road, Oxhey. William by this time was 21 and a bank clerk and Ernest, aged 17, was employed as an insurance clerk.
Wartime Service
William enlisted 10 December 1915 at New Court, St Swithin’s Lane, London, for the Duration of the War, with the Colours and in the Army Reserve: a bank clerk aged 26, 5’6″ tall, of Watford, his next-of-kin his father of Watford. He became Private 26176 in the Bedfordshire Regiment and transferred to 9th Battalion of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment as Private 23500 in 1915.
He went to France 1 July 1916, was attached to the 20th Battalion Manchester Regiment
He died at the 19th Field Ambulance, of wounds received at the Somme on 20 July 1916, aged 26 and was buried at Flatiron Copse, Mametz.
He was entitled to the Victory and British War medals and is commemorated at St Matthew’s Church, Oxhey and Bushey Baptist Church, Chalk Hill.
Additional Information
The published Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance entry reads:
“BIRD, WILLIAM MILLER. School period: April, 1903, to December, 1905. Private, Loyal North Lancs. Killed in action, 20th July, 1916."
William is also commemorated on his parent's grave at St James' Church.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
