Private 1534, D Company, 1/6th North Staffs
William was a Rugeley lad and his father was William, a miner working at the pit-face, and his mother was Sarah Ann nee Rufus who was William’s second wife. The family lived at the back of Queen St., Rugeley and he had a half-sister, Polly, six brothers and two sisters.
Like his father and elder brothers William started down the pit and on 27th October 1911 he joined the Territorials. This force had been set up in 1908 and had been intended to beef up the reserves without introducing conscription. It consolidated the Volunteer Forces with the Yeomanry but it got off to a bad start when a large percentage of those two forces refused to transfer. As a Territorial you were liable to serve anywhere in the UK but could not be forced to serve abroad.
William married Ada Thompson at St. Augustine’s, Rugeley in 1912. Ada’s father and brothers were all coal miners so maybe that is how they met but Ada herself worked at Armitage pottery and they may have met through William’s brother, George, who now lived down Old Road in Armitage next to the pottery.
By 1914 William, Ada and his mother were also living in Old Road with, or next to, George so presumably his father had died. When war broke out in July 1914, like all the other Territorials, he was asked if he was willing to serve abroad and he agreed and was embodied on 5th August 1914. He didn’t leave for France until 4th March 1915 and by then he had been appointed Lance Corporal. By this time his wife had moved back to Rugeley and lived in King Street.
William was killed in action on 20th May 1915 and is buried at Wulverehem, near R.E.Farm. He was the first Rugeley man from the Territorials to be killed. On 1st June his widow was given a grant by the Cannock Chase Miners Relief Fund. His personal effects were eventually sent to his widow – a letter, plate of false teeth, razor, photo, penknife, disc, ring, testament and coin.