Geboortejaar: 1888

Geboorteplaats: Plymouth, Devon, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Land: Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Strijdmacht: British Expeditionary Force

Rang: Private

Service nummer: 40494

Dienstneming plaats: Helston, Cornwall, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Eenheden:  —  South Wales Borderers, 11th Bn.  (Laatst gekende eenheid)

Datum van overlijden: 31/07/1917

Plaats van overlijden: The Ings, België

Doodsoorzaak: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Leeftijd: 29

Private William Henry Paul, a 29-year old from Breage, Cornwall was killed on 31 July 1917, the opening day of the Battle of Passchendaele. At the time of his death William served with the 11th Battalion South Wales Borderers (38th Division, 115th Brigade). On this day his Division was launching an offensive tasked to capture the German line east of the Ypres Canal, a second line on the Pilckem Ridge and a further ridge known as Iron Cross Ridge. The 115th Brigade was then to cross the Steenbeek and secure crossings over that stream.

At Zero hour, 3.50 a.m. the leading companies of the 11th advanced. They crossed the Ypres canal around 5.30 a.m. The Battalion encountered no great opposition and was able to keep up with the scheduled time table capturing several German prisoners. At 8.30 a.m. the attacking troops approached Iron Cross. But while the Battalions were approaching their objective, German resistance increased. The attacking parties suffered severe casualties due to machine-gun- and rifle fire from concrete positions in front of them. Most houses and farms along the top of the ridge after the Steenbeek had been converted into concrete machine-gun posts and as the troops could not keep up with the barrage they were enfiladed by German machine-gun fire. Only the flanks were able to push on. The houses eventually fell and the troops crossed the Steenbeek.

In the meantime the Germans retreated from the Steenbeek area and the Welsh established three bridgeheads across the Steenbeek at Au Bon Gite. Several platoons and one company consolidated these positions, although they were fired upon from Langemark. Just after the 11th Battalion had reached their positions a German aeroplane flew over from the direction of Langemark dropping bombs and firing its machine-guns.

At 3 p.m. Germans were seen marching through Langemark, where they assembled hoping to regain their lost positions. An SOS signal was sent up, but no answer came from the allied artillery. Therefore the Battalion had to try and stop the German attack with Lewis gun fire. To no avail. The German attack gained momentum and the 14th Royal Welsh Fusiliers had to give up ground. They withdrew behind the Steenbeek leaving the left flank of the 11th Battalion exposed. The Germans regained some concrete buildings. German machine-gunners took up position in the blockhouses and started enfilading the flank of the 11th South Wales Borderers. The heavy German machine-gun fire made the position of the 11th on the eastern bank of the Steenbeek untenable. A further German attempt to secure a bridgehead on the western bank failed. Another attempt at 8.30 p.m. was quickly answered by allied artillery support and the fighting died down. Throughout the night heavy artillery fire was exchanged.

Twenty-nine-year-old Private William Henry Paul was killed in action on the 31st of July 1917, leaving behind his wife Harriet, a son and two daughters. He was buried in the field near The Ings, just west of Chien Farm on the west bank of the Steenbeek stream. William’s remains were exhumed after the war and interred in Cement House Cemetery: Plot V Row E Grave 16.

"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 31-33. Gebruikte bronnen

Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Verdere verwijzing

CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/97999/paul,-william-henry/ Gebruikte bronnen

The Long, Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Gebruikte bronnen

War Diary South Wales Borderers, 11th Bn. http://www.nmarchive.com/ Verdere verwijzing