William enlisted into the R.A.M.C. on 5th April 1904 from the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. He entered the war in France on 16th August 1914 with the 4th Field Ambulance. His name appears on a list of R.A.M.C. personnel who were taken captive up to & including 31st December 1914. His address was given as 4 Conwall Street, Cable Street, London E - (kindly provided by Steve Mattocks). In the early hours of 26th August, the 4th Field Ambulance were ordered to go to Landrecies to treat and evacuate the wounded. A couple of hours after entering the town the Germans arrived, and William became one of 219 of the rank and file of the R.A.M.C. to be held captive there. He was taken to Germany entering Sennelager POW camp on 4th September 1914. He returned to England on 20th June 1915, then on 3rd November 1915 embarked at Southampton for Salonika, disembarking on the 15th. On 13th September and 15th October 1916 he was admitted into No 28 General Hospital suffering with Malaria. On 27th October 1916 he agreed to continue to serve under the Military Service Act of 1916 from 6th April 1917. On 1st May 1917 he was struck off the strength of No 28 General Hospital and returned to the UK. He was admitted into Bethnal Green Hospital, London from 28th June 1917 to 27th July 1917. On 2nd November 1917 he rejoined No 28 General Hospital and served with them until 7th December 1918 when he joined the 143rd Field Ambulance. He embarked for the UK on 13th March 1919, then was demobilized on 23rd April 1919. He served as a General Duty Orderly.