Name
William Potterton
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/03/1915
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
8959
Royal Leicestershire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 11.
France
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour
Pre War
Son of Mary Jane ATKINS (formerly POTTERTON, nee CLARK) of Watford and the late Thomas POTTERTON.
His parents married 22 March 1881 at St Mary’s Priory, Worksop, Notts. Thomas died 1890 in Watford aged 35, and was buried 30 September in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford. Mary remarried 1894 in the Watford district to William ATKINS; she died 1928 in Watford aged 70, and was buried 17 September, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
William was born 4 November 1888 in Battersea, Surrey, and baptised 29 November 1888 at St Stephen’s, Battersea. He attended Beechen Grove Board School, Watford, from 3 January to 7 November 1898. He resided in Watford.
On the 1891 Census, he is proving elusive. On the 1901 Census, aged 12 he lived in Watford, with his mother, step-father and three siblings. On the 1911 Census, a Private in the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, he was stationed in Aldershot, Hants.
Wartime Service
He previously enlisted 10 May 1910 at Stratford, Essex, for Short Service (7 years with the Colours, 5 years in the Reserves), in the Leicestershire Regiment: a general labourer aged 21, 5’4″ tall, C of E; next of kin his mother of Watford. He served at Home 10 May 1910 to 29 November 1911, in India 29 November 1911 to 19 September 1914, and in France from 20 September 1914 until he was killed in action 13 March 1915. He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 12 October 1914.
Additional Information
There is an article about and a Death announcement for William in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 3 April 1915; plus an In Memoriam in the issues dated 10 March 1917 and 16 March 1918.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
