Name
William Simons
16 April 1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/01/1919
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
164513
Canadian Infantry (1st Central Ontario Regiment)
75th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD (HEATH LANE) CEMETERY
SA. 25.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
WE MISS YOU STILL WE CANNOT FORGET SLEEP ON, SLEEP ON
UK & Other Memorials
St Paul's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead
Pre War
William Simons was born in Eaton Bray, Beds on 16 April 1884, the son of Thomas and Phoebe Simons, and baptised at St Mary the Virgin, Eaton Bray in 1885. He was one of 10 children although one died in infancy.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Moor End, Eaton Bray where his father was working as an agricultural labourer. By 1901 they had moved to Hobletts Orchard, Hemel Hempstead where the family were split into two houses next door to each other. 16 year old William was listed as the head of one house, with four of his siblings, and working as a Farmer's help.
They were living at High Street Green, Hemel Hempstead in 1911 and both William and his father were working as farm labourers.
He emigrated to Canada in 1912, leaving London on the Cunard ship Ausonia and arrived on 22 July 1912 in Montreal. He then travelled on to the Hamilton/Mississauga area, near Toronto where he worked as a labourer.
Wartime Service
When war broke out he enlisted at Hamilton Armouries on 25 September 1915 and joined the 75th Battalion of the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force. They embarked for Great Britain on 29 March 1916 and arrived in France four months later on 12 August. He saw action in the Battles of Regina and Desire Trenches before moving to Vimy Ridge.
William took part in the assault at Hill 145 the following April and was wounded on 9th April from which he recovered and re-joined his Battalion.
He survived to the end of the war and returned to England with his battalion prior to their return to Canada, but contracted Spanish Flu and was admitted to No. 12 Canadian General Hospital at Bramshott, Hants on 21 January 1919 where died a few days later on 25 January, aged 35.
He was buried at Heath Lane Cemetery, Hemel Hempstead two days later.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com., www.bac-lac.gc.ca
