Name
William Tibbles
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/08/1917
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
19647
Royal Garrison Artillery
247th Siege Battery
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
B. 25.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Rickmansworth UDC Memorial St Mary’s Church Roll of Honour, Rickmansworth, Not on the Croxley Green memorials
Pre War
William was born in 1881 in Croxley Green, son of Josiah and Susan Tibbles. 1n 1891 they were living at Wharf Lane, Rickmansworth, his father working as a farm labourer. Three of his older brothers and sisters were working as paper makers and his 13 year old sister was a general servant. William was the youngest in the family, with 3 older brothers and 2 older sisters. William’s father died in 1896 and in 1901, he and his mother were both living with his married sister, Alice, and her husband in Wharf Lane. In 1909 William married Alice Saunders and they had one daughter, Rosie Alice who was born in 1910. In 1911 they were living at 69 Church Street and William was a general labourer.
William Tibbles attested in the militia in the 4th Bedfordshire Regiment for 6 years in February 1904. At that time he was living at Redpall Cottages, Wharf Lane, a labourer employed by Mr D. Bone. He was described as being 5 foot 7 inches tall, 143lb, with fresh complexion and light brown hair. Both his parents were deceased and he named his next of kin as his elder sister Alice and elder brother James, living at Norfolk Road. After 63 days of training he joined the Royal Garrison Artillery in July 1904.
Wartime Service
William joined up at the outbreak of war and entered France on 10th August 1914
The Royal Garrison Artillery was armed with heavy large-calibre guns which were positioned well behind the front line and had immense destructive power. They were firing at unseen targets and were controlled by a forward artillery observer and later by the Royal Flying Corps.
The Adinkerke Cemetery contains 218 identified burials from the period June – November 1917 when the British Army was holding the line in this area.
The National Roll of the Great War says:
‘He volunteered on the outbreak of hostilities and was drafted to France where he fought in the Retreat from Mons and in the battle of Ypres, the Somme, Arras and many other important engagements. He made the supreme sacrifice being killed in action on August 27th 1917.'
Additional Information
His wife Alice married Albert Webb in Watford in 1920.
Acknowledgments
Pat Hamilton
Malcolm Lennox, National Roll of the Great War, Pat Hamilton
