As a miner by trade, William was appointed to the Durham County Constabulary on the 20th July 1914 as PC 180, 3rd class constable. On the 1st February 1915, he was promoted to a 2nd class PC. On the 5th July 1915, William resigned to join HMF and enlisted into the Northumberland Fusiliers at Cramlington on the 13th July 1915. On the 31st July 1915, he was appointed Lance Corporal but was reverted back to a Private on the 28th March 1916 - no reason given on file. On the 12th July 1917, William was wounded in action, gunshot wound to his right foot (Also on his file it states that the wounds were caused by shrapnel from a shell). He was taken to No 3 CCS and then to Boulogne for transfer to England. He arrived in England on the 15th July 1917 for treatment. On the 27th September 1917, William was transferred to the 3rd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers but was transferred again, on the 27th November 1917 into the Labour Corps. On the 28th December 1917, William was transferred as Pte 138352 into the RAMC, serving with the 35th Company, and training with the 5th Training Battalion, Grosvenor Road, London. On the 1st November 1918, he was examined by the army in relation to the wound to his foot and granted a pension of 8/3d for 39 weeks from the 2nd November. He was discharged from the army to Class P. William re-joined the Police Force on the 10th December 1918, as PC 191 and was stationed at West Hartlepool, he was officially discharged from the army on the 24th December 1918 with a 20% incapacity pension for 12 months. William continued to serve in the Durham County Constabulary until he retired on the 30th June 1942. He died on the 7th July 1960. [Information researched and kindly provided by John Grainger].