Name
William John Bisney
29 July 1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/05/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/39549
The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd/4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
SAVONA MEMORIAL
Italy
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, Not on the Boxmoor memorials, Not on the Leverstock Green memorials
Pre War
William John Bisney was born on 29 July 1892 in Leverstock Green, nr, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, the son of Wallace and Kate Bisney, and baptised there on 11 April 1895, along with brother Leonard. He was one of nine children, although sister Lily died in infancy.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 13 Fishery Cottages, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, where his father ran a General Dealer & Greengrocery. They remained at Boxmoor in 1911 but had moved to No. 5. Fishery Cottages when William and his father were then described as 'General Dealer (Hawker)'.
William was educated at Boxmoor Village School, starting in February 1901 at the same time as his brother Leonard. Two years later they left to continue their education at Two Waters Board School and William left in 1905 to work with his father in the fruit and vegetable trade.
He married Mary Ann Sear in January 1914 in Hemel Hempstead and they had a daughter Mabel Violet born 26 July 1914. They lived at 6 Fishery Cottages, Boxmoor, next door to his parents.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in February 1917 at Watford, Herts and joined the 2nd/4th Battalion, Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment. After training he was drafted to Egypt, and left Marseilles on 3 May 1917 bound for Alexandria on the troop ship SS Transylvania carrying more than 3000 men and 50 Red Cross nurses. The ship was hit by a torpedo in the engine room at 10.00 am on 4 May by German submarine U63 in the Gulf of Genoa. Two Japanese destroyers, the Matsu and Sakaki were escorting the ship and one came alongside to take off troops whilst the other manoeuvred to try force the submarine to remain submerged, but another torpedo hit the Transylvania 20 minutes later and she sank quickly. Twelve crew and more than 400 soldiers died.
William was missing believed drowned and has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Cavona Memorial, Italy.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £3 0s 1d. She also received a pension of 18s 9d a week for herself and her daughter. His brothers, Ernest, Harry and Percy all served in the war and survived. His brother-in-law Joseph Sear who served with the 1st Bedfordshire Regiment was killed in 1915 and is buried at Poperinge Old Military Cemetery.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com.,
