William had previously served in the army with the 13th Imperial Yeomanry and he was a stud groom. He enlisted on 14th August 1914, aged 45 and was attached to the 3rd Southern General Hospital with the RAMC. He was promoted to Serjeant on 3rd September 1914. William served throughout the war in the UK at the hospital but on 19th September 1918 was admitted with a ruptured urethra. Following an operation for a perineal abscess he died of gas gangrene. William was the husband of Florence Mary Handlen. They had one son, Wilfred and two daughters Eileen and Mina and lived at 21 London Place, Oxford. [Information taken from his service record - researched and kindly provided by Chris Ludlam]