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William Futter
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1890 |
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Place of birth: Frithville, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Agricultural Labourer/ Milkman |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 22683 |
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Enlistment date: 10/12/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Caistor, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Lincolnshire Regiment, 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 31/07/1917 |
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Place of death: Westhoek, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 27 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 21H |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 14/08/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 14/08/1920 |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
William Futter was a twenty-seven-year-old Agricultural Labourer and Milkman from Moortown, Lincolnshire, who fell during the Battle of Passchendaele. The young man enlisted late 1915 and served as a Private in the 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, part of the 25th Brigade, of the 8th Division.
On the 31st of July 1917 the 8th Division participated in the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, the first phase of the Battle of Passchendaele. It attacked at 3.50 a.m. with two Brigades, the 23rd and the 24th Brigades; and the 25th brigade in support. The 25th Brigade had to capture the last objective and was to pass through the 23rd and 24th Brigades on the Westhoek Ridge. Its objective, the Green Line, was a line running from the west of Zonnebeke village to the western Edge of Polygon Wood. The 25th Brigade attacked with three Battalions in the line. The 2nd Lincolnshires on the right, 1st Royal Irish Rifles in the center, and the 2nd Rifle Brigade on the left.
At 6.50 a.m. it was reported that the 23rd and 24th brigades had reached their objectives, and the 2nd Lincolnshires formed up and made their way up to the frontline then running at Jabber Trench. By 9 a.m. the Battalion had reached the Westhoek Ridge. It soon became clear that the second objective, the Black Line, had not been taken, but the attack went through accordingly. The barrage had failed to silence all the German machine-guns and casualties kept stacking up in the first minutes of the attack. On the right the advance of the 30th Division had been checked, which exposed the right flank of the 25th Brigade. Consequently the advancing troops met heavy machine-gun fire from the exposed right flank coming from Glencorse Wood. Attempts to rush the German machine gun positions proved fruitless and the men were ordered to fall back to the Black Line on the Westhoek Ridge. The 2nd Lincolnshires consolidated a line in front of Jabber Trench.
Several local German counter attacks were fend off before midday. Around 3 p.m. the Germans launched a huge counterattack. The Lincolnshire and Irish Rifles bared the brunt of it and fighting erupted along their line. Several sections fell back, but the men were rallied and the Germans were eventually driven back out of the line.
Private William Futter was killed on 31 July 1917 during the attack on the Westhoek Ridge. William has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
On the 31st of July 1917 the 8th Division participated in the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, the first phase of the Battle of Passchendaele. It attacked at 3.50 a.m. with two Brigades, the 23rd and the 24th Brigades; and the 25th brigade in support. The 25th Brigade had to capture the last objective and was to pass through the 23rd and 24th Brigades on the Westhoek Ridge. Its objective, the Green Line, was a line running from the west of Zonnebeke village to the western Edge of Polygon Wood. The 25th Brigade attacked with three Battalions in the line. The 2nd Lincolnshires on the right, 1st Royal Irish Rifles in the center, and the 2nd Rifle Brigade on the left.
At 6.50 a.m. it was reported that the 23rd and 24th brigades had reached their objectives, and the 2nd Lincolnshires formed up and made their way up to the frontline then running at Jabber Trench. By 9 a.m. the Battalion had reached the Westhoek Ridge. It soon became clear that the second objective, the Black Line, had not been taken, but the attack went through accordingly. The barrage had failed to silence all the German machine-guns and casualties kept stacking up in the first minutes of the attack. On the right the advance of the 30th Division had been checked, which exposed the right flank of the 25th Brigade. Consequently the advancing troops met heavy machine-gun fire from the exposed right flank coming from Glencorse Wood. Attempts to rush the German machine gun positions proved fruitless and the men were ordered to fall back to the Black Line on the Westhoek Ridge. The 2nd Lincolnshires consolidated a line in front of Jabber Trench.
Several local German counter attacks were fend off before midday. Around 3 p.m. the Germans launched a huge counterattack. The Lincolnshire and Irish Rifles bared the brunt of it and fighting erupted along their line. Several sections fell back, but the men were rallied and the Germans were eventually driven back out of the line.
Private William Futter was killed on 31 July 1917 during the attack on the Westhoek Ridge. William has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
Sources 6
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"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 26-27. Sources used |
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"The history of the Lincolnshire Regiment : 1914-1918", Simpson C.R. (ed.), London: The Medici Society, 1931, pg. 253-256. Sources used |
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Further reference |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/930275/futter,-william/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
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War Diary Lincolnshire Regiment, 2nd Bn. http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |