William enlisted on 7th October 1913. He was 18 years old at the time. He entered the war in France on 9th September 1914, as part of the Regimental Medical Officer's team for the 38th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. On 11th May 1918 he was wounded in action, suffering from Mustard gas poisoning and a gas shell shrapnel wound in his neck. This resulted in him losing his voice for 3 days and being blind for 5 days, and suffering pains in his chest and shortness of breath. He was admitted into the 89th Field Ambulance, who evacuated him back to No 2 Casualty Clearing Station, who evacuated him by No 9 Ambulance Train to No 2 Australian General Hospital in Boulogne. On 19th May 1918 he was evacuated back to the UK on the hospital ship "St Andrew". After arriving in England he was admitted into a hospital in Bradford, arriving on 20th May and staying there until 26th June 1918. From 26th June to 3rd August 1918 he was convalescing in a convalescent Hospital in Ashton-in-Markerfield. On 9th November 1918 he was posted to serve at the 1st Training Battalion, R.A.M.C. at Blackpool. He transferred to "B" Coy, R.A.M.C. on 17th January 1919. On 6th February 1919 he was posted for duty to London Sanitary Coy, Blackpool. He proceeded for demobilization on 15th March 1919 where he was discharged "no longer physically fit for war service" due to his wounds.