Tpr
William George Fearnley
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1892 |
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Place of birth: Northwich, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Farmer |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Trooper |
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Service number: 1503 |
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Enlistment place: London (City), Middlesex, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — King Edward's Horse, 1st Bn. |
Information about death
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Date of death: 26/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Duhallow Advanced Dressing Station, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Died of wounds (D.O.W.) |
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Age: 25 |
Cemetery
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Duhallow A.D.S. cemetery Plot: I Row: B Grave: 39 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Trooper William George Fearnley served with the 1st King Edward’s Horse during the Battle of Passchendaele. William was born in Norwich, Norfolk. According to the 1911 census he worked as a picture framer in Leeds, where his family had moved to. William together with his older brother Ernest enlisted in London. They both served in the cavalry with the 1st King’s Edward’s Horse, which was based in Chelsea.
After partaking in the opening day of the offensive on the 31st of July 1917, the 1st King’s Edward Horse was stationed near Watou. The troops were engaged in working parties and were ordered to regulate traffic. But the supply routes along which the men were to regulate traffic were well known by the Germans and the roads were frequently shelled by the German artillery. In the period up until 27th August, four men were killed during traffic control duty.
On August 27th it’s reported that three men died of their wounds. These three soldiers were probably trooper William George Fearnley, trooper Percy Welstead H. Noble and trooper James McCloskey. All three of them seem to have been wounded while being on a road construction party near Ypres. They were brought to Duhallow Advanced Dressing Station, where they died of their wounds. The three soldiers were buried at Duhallow A.D.S. cemetery.
William not even survived his brother by a month. As Ernest had been killed on the 31st of July 1917.
After partaking in the opening day of the offensive on the 31st of July 1917, the 1st King’s Edward Horse was stationed near Watou. The troops were engaged in working parties and were ordered to regulate traffic. But the supply routes along which the men were to regulate traffic were well known by the Germans and the roads were frequently shelled by the German artillery. In the period up until 27th August, four men were killed during traffic control duty.
On August 27th it’s reported that three men died of their wounds. These three soldiers were probably trooper William George Fearnley, trooper Percy Welstead H. Noble and trooper James McCloskey. All three of them seem to have been wounded while being on a road construction party near Ypres. They were brought to Duhallow Advanced Dressing Station, where they died of their wounds. The three soldiers were buried at Duhallow A.D.S. cemetery.
William not even survived his brother by a month. As Ernest had been killed on the 31st of July 1917.
Connection to other soldiers 1
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Ernest Walter Fearnley
Brother |
Sources 4
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2935985/fearnley,-william-george/ Sources used |
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The Long Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/cavalry-regiments/the-1st-and-2nd-king-edwards-horse/ Sources used |
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War Diary https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Further reference |