Name
William Batchelor (MM)
3 March 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/08/1918
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
14124
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Military Medal
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BEAULENCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY, LIGNY-THILLOY
IV. G. 29.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead, St Paul's Church (Original now demolished) Memorial, Hemel Hempstead (*1) Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Potten End, Holy Trinity Church ROH, Potten End
Pre War
William Batchelor was born on 3 March 1894 in Hemel Hempstead, the son of Richard and Caroline Batchelor, and one of 11 children. He was baptised on the 3 October 1894 at Hemel Hempstead.
His father died in 1898 in and on the 1901 Census he was living with his widowed mother and 6 siblings at 6 Boxted Cottages, Hemel Hempstead.
He left school in 1907 and, like his brothers worked as an agricultural labourer until the outbreak of war. He remained living at home at 6 Boxted Cottages on the 1911 Census, along with his widowed mother and brothers Harold, Charley, Herbert and Arthur.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Bedford and joined the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment at the end of August 1914, and went for basic training at Felixstowe. He was then posted to the 2nd Battalion and arrived with a group of 76 other recruits in France on 9 April 1915, joining the Battalion on 27 April 1915 near Neuve Chappelle.
He was wounded in the shoulder by shrapnel and missed the Battle of Festubert. The seriousness of his injury is unknown but he may have been sent back to England to recover. When he returned to France he was again posted to the 4th Battalion.
By February 1917 William had been promoted to Lance Corporal and fought in the Second Battle of the Scarpe and the second Battle of Passchendaele, where the Battalion suffered heavy casualties. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery for his actions during the First Battles of the Somme in 1918, either at the Battle of St Quentin or the Battle of Baupame(*1). The Battalion's war diary for 14 April 1918 records that William and four other soldiers were awarded the Military Medal. He was then promoted to Corporal and by August he was Sergeant.
He was killed in action in France on 27 August 1918 during operations near Thilloy, when the battalion attacked attack on Ligny-Thilloy. They were exposed to very heavy enemy machine gun fire but also suffered from their own shells falling short.
He was 23 years of age and is buried in Beaulencourt British Cemetery, France.
*1 William was awarded won his M.M. for bravery during the 4th Battalion’s retirement in the face of the German offensive in late March 1918, regimental records state:
‘During the retirement from Ytres, Private (Acting Corporal) William Batchelor kept the enemy at bay for ten minutes with his Lewis gun while everybody was retiring. He was entirely alone, but continued firing until his gun jammed. He then carried his gun himself, and made good his escape. His devotion to duty was magnificent during the entire period of retirement, and he brought his Lewis gun out.’
A full account of the Battalion’s gallant actions in March 1918 appears in the regimental history. The account that includes reference to the V.C. won by Batchelor’s C.O. on the same occasion:
‘This sector [Cambrai, opposite Marcoing] was heavily bombarded from 12 March onwards with mustard gas shell, and before the attack was launched the 4th Battalion had lost five officers and 264 other ranks. On 21 March the Germans made little progress on the front of the 63rd Division, but as it was at the head of the salient which we had created in the first battle of Cambrai and the divisions on the flanks had been pressed back, it was ordered to retire during the night to the intermediate line. This was the beginning of a fighting retirement through Ytres, Gueudecourt and Martinpuich. From near the latter place the Battalion was ordered up to High Wood on 26 March to reinforce the 189th Brigade, which was hard pressed in front of Martinpuich. There the Battalion hung on until its ammunition was exhausted, and its gallant conduct saved the flank of the Division. The withdrawal of the Battalion from its exposed position was made possible by the devotion of Lieutenant J. H. Blackwell, who when the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel J. S. Collings-Wells, D.S.O., called for volunteers to cover the retreat, took charge of three officers and sixty other ranks. Lieutenant-Colonel J. S. Collings-Wells himself posted this small party moving about with the utmost disregard of danger, encouraging his men by his fine example, and after he had left to look after the placing of the main body of the Battalion, Lieutenant J. H. Blackwell remained until every round was expended, and was the last to leave the position. Under cover of this devoted little band, the Battalion made good its retreat to the Thiepval Ridge, whence in the early hours of 26 March it was withdrawn to Martinsart. But its rest was short. During the night of 26th-27th, the enemy had crossed the Ancre and gained possession of Albert, threatening to turn the flank of the 12th Division. So the remnant of the 63rd Division was ordered up to form a defensive flank at Bouzincourt. There the Battalion was placed near the 25th Brigade, and was ordered to make a counter-attack with the 1st Artists Rifles at 7.30 a.m. on the 27th.
The counter-attack drove the enemy back to the railway line and put an end to the enemy’s progress in this quarter. The Battalion was gloriously led by Lieutenant-Colonel Collings-Wells. He, knowing that his men were nearly dead beat after six days of fighting with very little sleep, lead the counter-attack in person, and though wounded, continued to cheer his men on until he fell killed just as the railway was reached. He was awarded a posthumous V.C., and few (if any) were better won throughout the war.
During the night the enemy made a final attempt to continue his progress, but was repulsed, and Lieutenant L. Hambling won the M.C. for gallantry in this action. The Battalion was then definitely relieved, and went back to rest. For gallant conduct during the retreat, Sergeant W. G. Marks, Lance-Corporals W. Batchelor and P. Le Gros, and Private W. E. Auburn were awarded the Military Medal. The Battalion’s casualties, in addition to those suffered from mustard gas before the attack, were 19 officers and 233 other ranks.’
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £26 and pay owing of £3 5s 8d. Brother to Corporal Harold Batchelor who died in France on 30 April 1915 and is also named on the Potten End memorial. Brother to Alfred Batchelor, Suffolk Regiment, who died 9 April 1917 and is named on the Great Gaddesden War Memorial. His mother received a war gratuity of £6 and pay owing of £14 2s 0d, She also received a pension of 5 shillings a week.
*1 We believed that a W Batchelor appeared on the original St Paul's Church – now demolished and we have no photograph of the memorial, nor do we know if still exists – there are two potential men that could have been commemorated: Lance Corp, 235038, William Batchelor and Sergeant, 14124 William Batchelor (MM) and we do not know which.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.roll-of-honour.com, www.hemelheroes.com.
