William James Odell

Name

William James Odell

Conflict

First World War

Date of Death / Age

06/11/1917
19

Rank, Service Number & Service Details

Private
27321
Norfolk Regiment
8th Bn.

Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards

Not Yet Researched

Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country

DOZINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY
XIII. B. 6.
Belgium

Headstone Inscription

Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the World

UK & Other Memorials

Hitchin Town Memorial,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin

Pre War

Born 1898 in Hitchin to William and Maria Odell of 2 New Brickfield Cottage, Hitchin Hill, Hitchin, Herts. and enlisting in Hitchin in January 1917. Another address for his parents, probably later, was 56, Hitchin Hill, Hitchin.

Wartime Service

He was born and went to the Western Front in April 1917. He joined the 8th Battalion of the Norfolks and was given the Regimental Number 27321. He was killed in action during the time that the Battalion was part of the 53rd Brigade in the 18th (Eastern) Division of the XIX Corps of the 5th Army in the Second Battle of Passchendaele during 3rd Battle of Ypres.

The 18th Division had been heavily engaged in the area of Poelcappelle from the 22nd October 1917 onwards.

He was buried in Plot 13, Row B, Grave 6 in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium. Dozinghem served several Casualty Clearing Stations in the area and was situated north of Poperinghe and is a British Army play of words on the Flemish language.

Additional Information

A private inscription on the CWGC headstone reads "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the World". He is also remembered on his parents’ headstone in Hitchin and the inscription reads:

Acknowledgments

Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild