William entered the war in the Balkans on 13th December 1915. He was on board the Hired Transport "Transylvania", when it was proceeding to Egypt with reinforcements, and was sunk by a torpedo by the German U-boat U-63 off Cape Vado, a few kilometres south of Savona. He was the son of Alfred and Phoebe Emily Young of 10 Nevill's Court, Fetter Lane, London.