William lived in Netheravon, Nr Salisbury. He enlisted on 17th November 1902. He entered the war in France on 19th August 1914, as part of the Regimental Medical Officer's team for the 40th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. His name appears on a list of R.A.M.C. personnel who were taken captive up to & including 31st December 1914 - (kindly provided by Steve Mattocks). He was taken to the German prisoner of war camp Sennelager on 4th September 1914. He was discharged “no longer physically fit for war service” on 26th February 1917 due to sickness.