Other Information:William was appointed to Durham County Constabulary on 28th July 1913 as PC 944, 3rd class constable. On 1st October 1913 he was stationed in Consett. On 1st February 1914 he was appointed a 2nd class P.C., and in May 1914 was at Stockton. He then moved to Houghton on 1st September 1914, before resigning to join the war effort. He enlisted into the R.A.M.C. on 1st October 1914, then after training was posted to serve with the 65th Field Ambulance at Eastbourne. He embarked for Malta on 25th June 1915, arriving there on the 2nd July. Serving with No 1 Malta Coy he was appointed acting Lance Corporal on 14th July 1916, then appointed acting Corporal on 27th September 1916, and finally appointed acting Serjeant on 3rd July 1917, all with pay. He embarked for Salonika on 3rd July 1917, then was transferred to serve with No 62 General Hospital on the 10th. He went with this unit to Italy. On 12th July 1918 he was in Marseilles, where he was admitted into No 81 General Hospital suffering from debility. He was evacuated back to the UK on 31st July, and eventually admitted into No 4 London General Hospital, Denmark Hill suffering with malaria.
On 27th October 1918 he was posted back to France, but shortly after, on 14th December, he was posted to the R.A.M.C. Depot in England. At this point his rank was reverted back to the rank of private. He proceeded to Ripon for dispersal on 23rd January 1919, and was officially discharged on army reserve class Z on 20th February 1919. Just before, on 10th February 1919, he was re-admitted as three years 1st class PC 277 and was stationed at Blaydon. On 15th July 1932 he gained promotion to Sergeant 115. He retired from the police force on pension on 31st July 1941. He was the son of Thomas and Mary Taylor of 12 Cement Houses, Annfield Plain, and the husband of Mary Hilda Proud - married on 16th August 1918, they had two children. [Information researched and kindly provided by John Grainger]
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