Pte
William Smith Wallace
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1895 |
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Place of birth: Bouth, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
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Profession: Horse Driver |
Army information
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Country: Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 30136 |
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Enlistment date: 07/01/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Preston, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1st Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 26/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Windmill Cabaret - Kleynmolen, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 22 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XXV Row: A Grave: 13 |
Distinctions and medals 3
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
William Smith Wallace was born around 1895 in Bouth, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom. He was the son of Andrew Wood and Maggie Smith. Before enlisting, he worked as a horse driver. On 7 January 1915, at the age of 19, he enlisted in Preston, Lancashire. He was initially posted to the 8th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers and served in Salonika on the Balkan Front. On 9 May 1917, he arrived in France, and on 26 May he was transferred to the 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, 8th Brigade, 3rd (Iron) Division.
William was killed on 26 September 1917 during the Battle of Polygon Wood, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The division’s start lines were located near Tulip Cotts and extended to Potsdam. The first objective to be taken was formed by the line from Van Isackere Farm to Mühle, after which they were to advance to the line from Levi Cotts to Tokio.
On the evening of 25 September, the 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers moved from Ieper, along the Ieper-Zonnebeekseweg, towards the assembly positions. During this advance, the troops came under artillery fire, resulting in the first casualties. The following day, around 3 o’clock, the troops were in the assembly positions. The attack would be carried out in two waves: the first group consisted of the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots on the right flank and the 8th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment on the left flank. A second wave was formed by the 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers on the right flank and the 7th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry on the left flank. Once the attacking battalions from the first wave had taken the initial objectives, the second wave would pass through them and advance to the second objectives.
The attack began at 5:50 with a barrage behind which the first wave advanced. Both battalions reached their objective line around 7:30, after which the second wave began its advance. The Royal Scots Fusiliers advanced towards Hill 40. However, they encountered an impenetrable swamp and had to split up to pass it. After regrouping, they came under German machine-gun fire from Hill 40. The troops dug in along a line running from near Zonnebeke Station to Levi Cottages, with the centre adjoining the western slope of Hill 40. At 17:30, orders were issued to continue the attack at 18:30. These orders only reached the front line at 18:20, meaning not all troops received them. Only a handful of men continued the attack under artillery fire. At the same time, German troops also opened a barrage to launch a counterattack. Their advance was broken up by Allied artillery. No further infantry actions were undertaken that evening; only the artillery of both sides continued firing barrages. At dawn on 28 September, the battalion was relieved by the 13th Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment). The two days on the front line cost the battalion: 61 killed, 327 wounded and 67 missing.
William died at the age of 22. His body was found after the war near Zonnebeke Station. He was subsequently reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery.
William was killed on 26 September 1917 during the Battle of Polygon Wood, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The division’s start lines were located near Tulip Cotts and extended to Potsdam. The first objective to be taken was formed by the line from Van Isackere Farm to Mühle, after which they were to advance to the line from Levi Cotts to Tokio.
On the evening of 25 September, the 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers moved from Ieper, along the Ieper-Zonnebeekseweg, towards the assembly positions. During this advance, the troops came under artillery fire, resulting in the first casualties. The following day, around 3 o’clock, the troops were in the assembly positions. The attack would be carried out in two waves: the first group consisted of the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots on the right flank and the 8th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment on the left flank. A second wave was formed by the 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers on the right flank and the 7th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry on the left flank. Once the attacking battalions from the first wave had taken the initial objectives, the second wave would pass through them and advance to the second objectives.
The attack began at 5:50 with a barrage behind which the first wave advanced. Both battalions reached their objective line around 7:30, after which the second wave began its advance. The Royal Scots Fusiliers advanced towards Hill 40. However, they encountered an impenetrable swamp and had to split up to pass it. After regrouping, they came under German machine-gun fire from Hill 40. The troops dug in along a line running from near Zonnebeke Station to Levi Cottages, with the centre adjoining the western slope of Hill 40. At 17:30, orders were issued to continue the attack at 18:30. These orders only reached the front line at 18:20, meaning not all troops received them. Only a handful of men continued the attack under artillery fire. At the same time, German troops also opened a barrage to launch a counterattack. Their advance was broken up by Allied artillery. No further infantry actions were undertaken that evening; only the artillery of both sides continued firing barrages. At dawn on 28 September, the battalion was relieved by the 13th Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment). The two days on the front line cost the battalion: 61 killed, 327 wounded and 67 missing.
William died at the age of 22. His body was found after the war near Zonnebeke Station. He was subsequently reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery.
Sources 4
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1 Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1422/3). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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1911 England Census (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Buchan, John. The History of the Royal Scots Fusiliers 1678-1918 (Londen: Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd, 1925), 389. Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/465029 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=a068f7e4-185a-43ac-aa4f-2733be25f831 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/4591564 |
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A Street Near You https://astreetnearyou.org/person/465029/ |