Name
William Ernest Ireland
8/12/1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/09/1917
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
242217
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
2nd/6th Bn
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium to the missing.
UK & Other Memorials
Cheshunt Town Memorial,
Church of St Mary the Virgin Memorial Cheshunt,
Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
William Ireland was born in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, on 8th December 1897, son of Albert Ernest Ireland a, Nursery Gardener and Emma Matilda Ireland (nee Cooper). One of four children.
1901 Census records William aged 3, living with his parents, sisters Emma (4) and Henrietta (1) at 20 College Road, Cheshunt, Herts.
1911 census William (13), sisters Emma (14), Henrietta (11) and brother Alfred (9) and his parents are now living at, 16 Albury Grove Road, Cheshunt, Herts.
Wartime Service
William travelled to the County Town of Hertford to enlist. Posted to the Hertfordshire Regiment with the service number 9223. Later transferred to the 2nd/6th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) with the service number 242217.
Seeing action on the Western Front, he was Killed in Action on the 26th September 1917, at the Battle of Polygon Wood. (Battle of Polygon Wood 26th Sept to 3rd Oct 1917).
He has no known grave; he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium to the Missing.
Additional Information
His mother Emma received a Dependents Pension of 5/- a week from 4th June 1918, for life.
His effects of £5-10-5, pay owing and his war gratuity of £3-10-00, went to his father Albert.
William is also commemorated on a family headstone in Cheshunt Burial Ground. His inscription reads:
In loving memory of
OUR DEAR SONS(*1) WILLIAM ERNEST IRELAND OF THE SHERWOOD FORESTERS KILLED IN ACTION SEPTEMBER 28TH(*2) 1917 AGED 19 YEARS.
*1 Later inscriptions mention brother Alfred Edward, mother Emma and then Jane Cooper and Albert Ernest Ireland.
*2 the official date is the 26th.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
