2nd Lt
William Henry Cousins
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 06/07/1891 |
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Place of birth: Stretford, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: 100 Thames Drive, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, United Kingdom |
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Profession: Accountant |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Second Lieutenant |
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Service number: 15399 |
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Enlistment date: 28/10/1914 |
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Enlistment place: Kendal, Cumberland, England, United Kingdom |
Information about death
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Date of death: 01/10/1968 |
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Place of death: East Ham, Essex, England, United Kingdom |
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Cause of death: Death post-war (unrelated) |
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Age: 77 |
Cemetery
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Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries Plot: Unknown Row: Unknown Grave: Unknown |
Points of interest 5
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of wounding | ||
| #5 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
William Henry Cousins was born 6 July 1891 in Stretford, near Manchester. Before the war, William earned his living as an accountant. On 28 October 1914, William enlists in the service. He is assigned to the 11th battalion of the Border Regiment. A year later, he is promoted to lance corporal. On 26 April 1917, he advanced to second lieutenant and was transferred to the 7th Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment (55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern Division). They leave for Flanders in early July 1917.
On 31 July 1917, the Allies plan to attack at Ypres. The offensive requires a lot of preparations. The 18th Division is called in to build roads and positions near the front. The 7th Battalion moves into positions at Dikkebus and engages with the Royal Engineers at Zillebeke. From 14 July, two battalion platoons assist a Canadian Tunnelling Company, carrying out works at Brigade Headquarters. The West Kents carry supplies and equipment in and out. The German artillery is doing all it can to disrupt the preparatory works. Consequently, the 7th Battalion suffers many casualties during July 1917.
On 15 July, disaster strikes. On their way to their rendezvous point at Dormy House in Zillebeke, the two platoons assisting the Canadian Tunnelers are surprised by a German bombardment. Second lieutenant, William Henry Cousins, leading the group, is badly wounded. Five of his men die on the spot. William almost pays for his life. Two shrapnel holes pierce his back. He has two gaping wounds. One on each side of his spine.
William's wounds are bandaged and he is evacuated to England on the Jan Breydel, a Belgian packet boat. On 28 July 1917, he is admitted to the 3rd London Hospital. Initially for two months. However, his recovery takes much longer. In December, he is admitted to an officers' sanatorium. William is overworked, probably suffers from shell shock and is declared 30% disabled. His leave from military service is extended each time. Until he is sent on permanent leave in February 1918. Two months later, on 26 April 1918, William is still promoted to lieutenant.
On 23 May 1919, a few weeks before his wedding, William is hospitalised again. He has constant back pain and loss of strength in his left leg. William is then declared permanently unfit for military service.
William will bear the consequences of that fateful shell hit near Zillebeke all his life. As a war invalid, he is allowed to go to work for the Air Ministry after the war. Due to the nature of his job, William and his family roam all over the UK. William and his wife, Alexandrina, have four children, three daughters and one son. Their lives take place in and around British air bases. During World War II, his three daughters all marry Allied pilots serving in the RAF. Respectively a Pole, a Dutchman and a Slovakian. His son fought with the British army in Egypt and met his Turkish Cypriot wife there. William dies on 1 October 1968 in East Ham, Essex, England.
William's daughter, Amy Moyra, marries a Dutch aviator. Abraham Johannes Ike Lensing is a pilot in the Royal Air Force. When Germany, invades the Netherlands he pilots the plane that evacuates part of the Dutch government to London. After the capitulation of the Netherlands, he starts flying for the RAF. He is decorated with the Flying Cross in 1941. In May 1942, Sgt Lensing is navigator on a Lockheed Hudson. The light bomber is shot down near the Frisian Islands by the Flak of a German ship. Lensing is taken prisoner. After the war, in September 1945, he marries Amy Moyra. Together they move to the Netherlands. Through Amy Moyra's daughter Denise Lensing and her husband Bert Rouwenhorst from Amstelveen, William Henry Cousins' original bag ends up in our museum.
On 31 July 1917, the Allies plan to attack at Ypres. The offensive requires a lot of preparations. The 18th Division is called in to build roads and positions near the front. The 7th Battalion moves into positions at Dikkebus and engages with the Royal Engineers at Zillebeke. From 14 July, two battalion platoons assist a Canadian Tunnelling Company, carrying out works at Brigade Headquarters. The West Kents carry supplies and equipment in and out. The German artillery is doing all it can to disrupt the preparatory works. Consequently, the 7th Battalion suffers many casualties during July 1917.
On 15 July, disaster strikes. On their way to their rendezvous point at Dormy House in Zillebeke, the two platoons assisting the Canadian Tunnelers are surprised by a German bombardment. Second lieutenant, William Henry Cousins, leading the group, is badly wounded. Five of his men die on the spot. William almost pays for his life. Two shrapnel holes pierce his back. He has two gaping wounds. One on each side of his spine.
William's wounds are bandaged and he is evacuated to England on the Jan Breydel, a Belgian packet boat. On 28 July 1917, he is admitted to the 3rd London Hospital. Initially for two months. However, his recovery takes much longer. In December, he is admitted to an officers' sanatorium. William is overworked, probably suffers from shell shock and is declared 30% disabled. His leave from military service is extended each time. Until he is sent on permanent leave in February 1918. Two months later, on 26 April 1918, William is still promoted to lieutenant.
On 23 May 1919, a few weeks before his wedding, William is hospitalised again. He has constant back pain and loss of strength in his left leg. William is then declared permanently unfit for military service.
William will bear the consequences of that fateful shell hit near Zillebeke all his life. As a war invalid, he is allowed to go to work for the Air Ministry after the war. Due to the nature of his job, William and his family roam all over the UK. William and his wife, Alexandrina, have four children, three daughters and one son. Their lives take place in and around British air bases. During World War II, his three daughters all marry Allied pilots serving in the RAF. Respectively a Pole, a Dutchman and a Slovakian. His son fought with the British army in Egypt and met his Turkish Cypriot wife there. William dies on 1 October 1968 in East Ham, Essex, England.
William's daughter, Amy Moyra, marries a Dutch aviator. Abraham Johannes Ike Lensing is a pilot in the Royal Air Force. When Germany, invades the Netherlands he pilots the plane that evacuates part of the Dutch government to London. After the capitulation of the Netherlands, he starts flying for the RAF. He is decorated with the Flying Cross in 1941. In May 1942, Sgt Lensing is navigator on a Lockheed Hudson. The light bomber is shot down near the Frisian Islands by the Flak of a German ship. Lensing is taken prisoner. After the war, in September 1945, he marries Amy Moyra. Together they move to the Netherlands. Through Amy Moyra's daughter Denise Lensing and her husband Bert Rouwenhorst from Amstelveen, William Henry Cousins' original bag ends up in our museum.
Sources 3
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2/Lieutenant William Henry COUSINS The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 339/83463). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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7 Battalion Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO-95-2049-2). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |