Pte 18892 William George Wilson

• Age: 29
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Tuesday 8th October 1918
• Commemorated at: Busigny Cc Ext
  Panel Ref: V.A.20

William George was born in Liverpool, the son of John Wilson and his wife Mary Ellen (nee Blackshaw) who were married in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1883. His father was born in Newcastle, and his mother in Liverpool. They had six children, two of whom died young. Their first child, William Frederick, was born on 22nd April 1885 (his father’s occupation then a bar manager) but died in infancy. Another son, Henry Blackshaw was born in 1894, (his father then a licensed victualler), but died at six months old. He had an older brother John Arthur, born in 1887, and younger siblings Edith Annie, 1891, and Alfred Charles, born in 1899.

William George was baptised on 25th August 1889 at St James' Church, Toxteth. His parents were living at 9 Fletcher Street, Toxteth Park, and his father’s occupation is given as labourer.

At the time of the 1891 census the family is living at 9 Fletcher Street.  His mother is now a public house manager and his father a marine stoker.  John is 3, and William one year old. Also in the household is his widowed maternal grandmother, Ann Blackshaw.

J. Wilson of 9 Fletcher Street advertised in September 1896 for violin lessons for two beginners (possibly John and William).

The 1901 Census finds the family are living at 9 Fletcher Street, Toxteth Park. Parents John and Mary with children John Arthur, William George aged 11, Edith Annie and Alfred Charles. His father is a master scaler, employer, his mother is a manageress of a public house (a local directory lists Mrs. Mary E. Wilson as manager of The Grapes).  William is 11 years old. 

In 1911 William is living at home with his parents and three siblings at 9 Granby Street, an 8-room house.  His father, 47, is a boiler scaler, his mother is also 47.  John, 23, is a post office clerk, William is 21, an apprentice iron moulder. Edith, 19, has no occupation, and Alfred, 11, is at school. Also in the household is cousin Fanny Blackshaw, 14.

William’s service records show that he enlisted on 07th September 1914 in Liverpool aged 25 years and 47 days. He was originally posted to Depot as Private 18892 of The King’s Liverpool Regiment. He gives his occupation as assistant electrician (another page of his record states iron moulder). He is described as being 5’3” tall, weighed 118lbs with a 34½” chest, blue/grey eyes and brown hair. His religion was stated as Church of England. His father is named as John of 9 Granby Street, mother Mary Ann and sister Edith.

On 14th September he was posted to the 14th Battalion. K.L.R., part of Kitchener's Third New Army.  The 14th Bn. joined the 65th Brigade, 22nd Division which assembled for training in the area of Eastbourne and Seaford.

10/12/1914 appointed unpaid L/Cpl.

12/02/1915 appointed paid L/Cpl

On two occasions in May 1915 William was punished for absence.  On the 05th he was deprived of his Lance stripe and forfeited two days’ pay, and on the 17th forfeited another two days’ pay and was confined to barracks for four days.

28/05/1915 appointed unpaid L/Cpl

Whilst training near Eastbourne, George met and married Daisy Eleanor Eden Eaton. They married on 10th August 1915, both giving their residence as Willingdon (just outside of Eastbourne). William’s occupation is shown as Lance Cpl. 14th Bn. K.L.R. The ceremony was witnessed by two of her family members.

Less than one month after their marriage, William shipped to France, on 05th September 1915, disembarking at Boulogne. The division concentrated near Flesselles, and in October they entrained for Marseilles and embarked for Salonika on the 27th September 1915.

05/01/1916 appointed paid L/Cpl

In 1916 they fought at Horseshoe Hill and Machukovo. In 1917 they were in action during the battles of Doiran.

Whilst serving he was hospitalised on 25th January 1917 with a condition referred to as NYD (Not Yet Determined).  

As with many soldiers who served in the Balkans theatre, William suffered multiple bouts of disease, most commonly malaria.

05/05/1916 admitted No.29 General Hospital, Salonika, fever of unknown origin

18/05/1916 discharged to convalescent depot

On 24th May 1916 Daisy wrote expressing her dissatisfaction that a notice had been sent to William’s mother in Granby Street notifying her that William was in hospital in Salonika, “as I understand a wife stands first”.

27/05/1916 rejoined unit in the field

07/07/1916 reverts to Private at own request 

14/07/1916 admitted 68 F.A.

22/07/1916 admitted No.21 Stationary Hospital, Salonika, malaria

29/07/1916 to Hospital Ship Dover Castle

02/08/1916 admitted St. Paul’s Military Hospital, Malta 

On 8th August 1916 Daisy wrote to the O/C:  “I received a card from my husband saying he was in hospital - can you tell me what is the matter with him as I haven’t heard anything else and feel very worried.  Did you also make a note of my change of address [7 Robertson Street, Hastings].” She gives William’s details as ‘A’ company, 1st Platoon, 14th K.L.R.

08/08/1916 to Ghain Tuffieha Convalescent Camp, Malta

23/08/1916 to St. Paul’s Hospital, Malta

07/09/1916 rejoined at Salonika 

05/11/1916 attached 65th Trench Mortar Battalion in the field.

23/01/1917 admitted 66 F.A., cause not yet determined

26/01/1917 to No.29 Stationary Hospital, malaria

05/02/1917 to Hospital Ship Dover Castle

25/03/1917 to Ghain Tuffieha, Malta

03/04/1917 to Man(oel?) Hospital, Malta

30/04/1917 to Ghain Tuffieha, scabies

12/05/1917 to (?) Malta, scabies

26/05/1917 to (?) Malta, malaria

23/07/1917 to duty, Malta

04/09/1917 to Ghain Tuffieha, malaria

19/11/1917 to St. George’s Hospital, malaria and piles

Further entries mention St. George’s and St. Lawrence Camp until the end of January, but details are illegible.

A cablegramme was sent on 29th November 1917, authority War Office, stating that this “malaria case is not to be sent to a theatre of war where malaria is prevalent”. Despite this, William was sent back to Salonika, on 01/02/1918 embarking on the “Heroic”.

He was again admitted with malaria in late March through April.

01/05/1918 to No.4 Convalescent Depot

13/05/1918 embarked at Itea, Greece

22/05/1918 arrived in England 

During his time with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, 32 months from October 1915 until returning to England in May 1918, William spent more time out of action with sickness and disability than in the field (about 11 months).

23/05/1918 posted to Depot

26/06/1918 posted to 3rd (Garrison) Bn. K.L.R.

Whilst stationed at Cork, on 30th July 1918, he was confined to barracks for four days for being in bed 30 minutes after reveille.

21/08/1918 classified A “irrespective of malaria”

03/09/1918 embarked for France, to Infantry Base Depot

06/09/1918 transferred to 18th Bn K.L.R., joined Bn. (Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry), King’s Liverpool Regiment.

He was serving with the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 18892 when he died of wounds on the 08th October 1918 during the hundred days offensive which ended the First World War (8^th August-11^th November 1918).  

He now rests at Busigny CC Ext, France.

Busigny was captured by the 30th American Division and British cavalry on 9 October 1918, in the Battle of Cambrai, and in the course of the next two months the 48th, 37th and 12th Casualty Clearing Stations came successively to the village. The majority of the burials were made from these three hospitals. The cemetery extension was begun in October 1918, and used until February 1919. After the Armistice it was enlarged when graves were brought into Plots II-VII of graves from a wide area between Cambrai and Guise.  Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension contains 670 First World War burials, 64 of them unidentified. The extension was designed by Charles Holden.

His headstone records his age at death as being 28, however, if he was baptised in August 1889 he would have been 29 when he died. 

His death from wounds was published in the Worthing Gazette on 27th November 1918 (Daisy lived at 27 Warwick Road, Worthing).

William earned his three medals.

Daisy received his Army pay and a War Gratuity of £24. 

A pension card gives her address as 18 Tideswell Road, Eastbourne, her parents’ home, and shows that she was awarded a pension of 13/9d a week in May 1919.  Her address in January 1919 was 20 Elm Terrace, High Street, Orpington (Kent).

In March 1919 his personal effects were sent to Daisy but returned, address not known. She eventually received them in May: Photograph case & Photographs, Letters, Cards, Metal mirror, French book, Wallet.

In January 1921 Daisy provided information on William’s living relatives, with an apology that she did not know his family sufficiently well to give their Christian names.  She was living in Eastbourne with her mother, his father John and mother (no name provided) were living in Granby Street with his sister Edith, 27.

His CWGC relatives record shows: Son of Mr. J. Wilson, of Liverpool; husband of Mrs. D. E. Wilson, of 109/8, 74th St., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Daisy had emigrated to Canada in 1921 and in 1924 in Prince George, British Columbia, married Thomas Lloyd Brace, 42, a widower born in England.  She gives her particulars as widow, age 34, occupation housekeeper, religion Congregational.

However, another pension card shows Mrs. Daisy Ellen Brace (“late Wilson, bigamous marriage”), and the date 26/2/1925.  It is not known what became of Daisy.