Name
William Gee
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/05/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
1663
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 47.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial,All Saints Church, Hertford, Hertford Heath Village Memorial, Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Little Amwell, Not on the Hertford memorials
Pre War
William was born in 1892 in Hertford to William Gee, a housepainter, and Mary Ann (nee Harvey). On the 1901 Census William was living with his Parents, sister Maggie, and younger brothers Percy and Frank at 39, Talbot Street, Hertford. On the 1911 Census the family were living at Villiers Street, Hertford, William was employed as a housepainter, Maggie was an envelope draper, Percy was a printer apprentice. There had been the addition of Reggie (born 1902) and Dorothy (born 1903).
William enlisted in the Hertfordshire Regiment, a Territorial Force Unit, as Private 1663. His service number was issued at some time in 1911. He remained a Territorial Soldier for all of his Service.
Wartime Service
William was one of many in the Territorial Force who volunteered for Overseas Service and went to France with 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment on 6 Nov 1914, Where they joined the 4th (Guards) Brigade in 2nd Division at Ypres. Following actions at Ypres and Cuinchy the battalion moved to Bethune and on 18 May 1915 were to provide support to Irish Guards (No1 Company) and Grenadier Guards (No 4 Company) during their attacks in the Battle of Festubert. There performance was such that they earnt the unofficial name the "Herts Guards"
During this fighting William was killed in action. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Le Touret Memorial.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £3 and arrears of £8 10s 6d was paid to his mother.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
