Name
William E Bulley
15 Apr 1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/10/1919
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
S/6744
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
3rd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LITTLE AMWELL (HOLY TRINITY) CHURCHYARD
In S.E. part.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE
UK & Other Memorials
Hertford Heath Village Memorial,
Not on the Little Amwell memorial,
Not on the Hertford memorials
Pre War
William East was born on 15 Apr 1896 (baptised on 31 May 1896) in Little Amwell to Edward Bulley, a bricklayer, and Sarah Ann (nee Locking). The family of parents, elder brothers Albert, Christopher Charles and sisters Ethel, Eleanor, Mary and Agnes were living at 8 Church Terrace, Little Amwell.
On the 1901 Census the family were joined by sisters Florence and Kathleen and were still at the same address. On the 1911 Census the family, still living at Church Terrace now consisted of parents, Christopher Charles, a footman, Catherine, Florence and Leonard (born 1904), William was working as a houseboy( probably with his brother). At the time of his enlistement William was a footman working for Mrs Cauldwell at 3, Audley Square, London
Wartime Service
William attested on 11 Aug 1914 as Private S/6744 in the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment and on 18 Aug 1914 was posted to 3rd Battalion for recruit training.
On 24 Oct 1914 he was posted to 9th Battalion and promoted on 24 Mar 1915 to Lance Corporal (probably unpaid) as on 17 May William was posted to 6th Battalion as a Private, prior to going to France on 1 June 1915 with his Division and his Battalion were positioned in the front Line at Ploegstreet on 23 Jun 1915. That same day William received a wound to his scalp, and after treatment at 4 General Hospital Versailles he was posted 12 Infantry Base Depot, Etaples on 15 Jul 1915.
William was attached to 10 Entrenching Battalion on 17 Sep 1915 returning to his own Unit on 16 Oct 1915. William was promoted to acting Corporal on 15 Mar 1916 and was made Corporal on 4 Feb 1916. On 20 Apr 1916.
He reported wounded with Shell shock and deafness and treated at 38 Field Ambulance he returned to duty. By July the Division had been repositioned on the Somme and on the night of 2nd Jul 1916 the 6th Queens attacked at Ovillers but were held up by machine gun fire from Mash Valley (which was to have subject to simultaneous attack but this was cancelled). William was again wounded in this fighting on 3rd Jul 1916 and evacuated to 13 Stationary Hospital Boulogne for treatment to Gunshot wounds to Neck and Groin on 5 Jul 1916.
He returned to the UK by Hospital Ship ‘St Andrew’ on 1 Aug 1916. William was treated at No 1 General Hospital for eight months and Gateshead for convalescence of 8 weeks before returning to Queen’s 3rd Battalion on 25 Feb 1917. William was discharged on 23 Apr 1917 medically unfit.
William Died on 1 Oct 1919 in Suffolk and is buried in Little Amwell at Holy Trinity Churchyard.
Additional Information
His father, Mr E Bulley, 8, Church Terrace, Hertford Heath, ordered his headstone inscription: "HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE".
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
