Pte
William Sinclair
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1898 |
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Place of birth: Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Civil Service Clerk |
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: 51426 |
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Enlistment date: 08/12/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Carlisle, Cumberland, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Manchester Regiment, 1/9th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 11/09/1917 |
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Place of death: The Hut, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 19 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 123 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 15/07/1921 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 15/07/1921 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
William Sinclair was born in Glasgow, Lanarkshire in 1898. He was the youngest child of William and Janet Sinclair. Both his father and his brother John worked for the railroad and by 1911 the family lived and worked in Carlisle, Cumberland. When William enlisted in December 1915, he was employed as a Civil Service Clerck. William served with the 1/9th Manchester Regiment, part of the 126th Brigade, of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. In August 1917 the Division moved to Ypres, to participate in the Battle of Passchendaele.
On 10 September 1917 the 1/9th Manchesters took up positions in the frontline near the hamlet of Westhoek. Battalion Headquarters were situated at Kit & Kat. During the following night, “C” Company of the Battalion launched an unsuccessful attack on a Concrete Blockhouse, called The Hut. The Company was prevented from advancing by machine-gun fire and rifle grenades. Lieutenant Greenwood and nine men were wounded, one other rank was killed in action and one man went missing. “C” Company fell back on their positions along the Ypres-Roulers Railroad. Throughout the rest of the night the German Artillery retaliated by shelling the positions of the 1/9th Manchesters with gas shells.
Private William Sinclair went missing during the raid on the German Blockhouse. He was later presumed killed in action. The 19-year old has no known grave and William is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
On 10 September 1917 the 1/9th Manchesters took up positions in the frontline near the hamlet of Westhoek. Battalion Headquarters were situated at Kit & Kat. During the following night, “C” Company of the Battalion launched an unsuccessful attack on a Concrete Blockhouse, called The Hut. The Company was prevented from advancing by machine-gun fire and rifle grenades. Lieutenant Greenwood and nine men were wounded, one other rank was killed in action and one man went missing. “C” Company fell back on their positions along the Ypres-Roulers Railroad. Throughout the rest of the night the German Artillery retaliated by shelling the positions of the 1/9th Manchesters with gas shells.
Private William Sinclair went missing during the raid on the German Blockhouse. He was later presumed killed in action. The 19-year old has no known grave and William is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 6
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"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 74. 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/3064974/sinclair,-william/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
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Trinity School War Memorial https://www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk/warmemorials/william-sinclair/ Sources used |
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War Diary Manchester Regiment, 1/9th Bn. http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |