Pte 57666 John William Willey

• Age: 21
• From: Leeds, Yorks
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

John William Willey was born in the June quarter of 1896 and resided in Leeds, he was the son of Thomas Willey and his wife Mary Elizabeth (nee Busfield) who were married in September 1893 in Thirsk, North Yorkshire.

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 134 Castlegate, Thirsk. His father, Thomas, is aged 43 and employed as a solicitors clerk, who was born in Carlton Minniott, Thirsk, his mother, Mary E., is aged 42  and was born in Whitby. They have three children all born in born Thirsk, Eva M. 6, John W. 4, and Gladys C. 2.

By the time of the 1911 Census the family have moved to 60 Queens Road, Leeds. His father, Thomas, is aged 53 and is now a dispatch clerk to a chemist, his mother, Mary Elizabeth, is aged 52 and has no occupation listed. They have been married for seventeen years and have had four children, all of whom ared declared in the household; Eva Mary aged 16 is a dressmaker improver, John William aged 14 is employed as a telegraph messenger, Gladys Catherine 12 is a scholar and George Thomas aged 8 who was born in Sowerby. Also present are his  widowed grandfather, George Willey, aged 79, who is a retired farmer and also a boarder Elizabeth Muter 21 who is a domestic science teacher.

He enlisted in Leeds and originally served as Private 15595 in the Army Cyclist Corps. Following a transfer he was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 57666.

John was listed as wounded in the Weekly Casualty List on 11th September 1917:

King's (Liverpool Regiment)

Willey 57666 J.W.(Leeds);

John was killed in action on the 29^th April 1918, aged 21, during the German Spring Offensive.

On the day of his death 29th April 1918, the Battalion was serving on the Ypres Salient and was in the front line at Elzenwalle, near Ridge Wood, awaiting a renewal of the German assault on that front.

At 02.30 am the attack began with a devastating bombardment along the whole battle front, from the forward positions back to a depth of over a mile. At 6am the enemy Infantry attacked, the main force of the assault being directed at a position near Ridge Wood, where one of the Battalion’s forward listening posts was captured and held. Then, 16999 Company Sergeant Major G Sutton of No.1 Company gallantly drove out the attackers with Mills Bombs, an action for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. After a strong defence along the Battalion frontage, the Germans withdrew. They continued their artillery barrage throughout the rest of the morning and afternoon, however, and at about 17.00 began to mass once more for another Infantry attack. This was contained by Rifle and Lewis Gun fire, until a large British Artillery barrage at 18.00 finally broke up all enemy activity. 

His death was reported in the Yorkshire Evening Post on 18th May 1918:

“Private John William Willey (21), King’s Liverpool Regiment, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Willey, 32, Edwin Road, Leeds, formerly employed at the G.P.O., Leeds.”

John William's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

Soldiers Effects to his mother Mary E. His outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £11-10s went to his mother, who was awarded a pension of 8 shillings a week.

His parents suffered further loss when youngest daughter Gladys died six months after John, in November 1918, at the age of 20.

On the first anniversary of his death in 1919 his family placed an In Memoriam notice in the local paper:

“In loving memory of John William Willey (King’s Liverpool Reg’t.), son of Thomas and Mary Elizabeth Willey, of 32, Edwin Road, Leeds, killed in action April 29, 1918.

  He sleeps beside his comrades,

  In a hallowed grave unknown,

  But his name is written in letters of love in the hearts he left at home.

Ever remembered by Father, Mother, Sister, and Brother.”

And again in 1920:

“In loving memory of John William Willey, killed in action April 29, 1918.  Dearly loved and sadly missed.  -  From All at Home.”

John is commemorated on the family headstone at St Oswald's Church, Sowerby. 

Gladys Catherine Willey aged 20 died 27/11/1918

George Willey aged 88 died 17/01/1920

Willey Thomas Willey aged 69 died 27/06/1927

Mary Elizabeth Willey aged 77 18/04/1935

https://www.twgpp.org/photograph/view/1308487

His father Thomas died on the 27th June 1927 aged 69 and his mother Mary died in Easingwold, North Yorkshire on the 18th April 1935 aged 77.

We currently have no further information on John William Willey, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.