Name
William Castle
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/10/1918
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
31911
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ROMERIES COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
III. E. 12.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
His home was at 15, St. Andrew's Place, Hitchin.
He was born in and was a resident of Hitchin.
Wartime Service
He enlisted as a volunteer in Bedford in 1915, was allocated the Regimental Number 31911 and went to France in the same year. He served with the 1st Battalion of the Bedfords on the Somme, Arras and Ypres and was killed in action during the great advance of 1918.
He was engaged in an attack which started about 100 yards north east of Beaurain. Heavy fire was directed onto the assembly area both by the Germans and our own guns causing about I 00 casualties. The attack was not delayed although the Battalion was considerably under strength and commenced its advance at 3.20am and the objective, a ridge about 500 yards north east of Beaurain, was achieved. The action resulted in the deaths of 2 officers, 14 other ranks, 5 other ranks missing, 7 officers wounded and 105 other ranks wounded. 90% of the casualties were caused by the barrages on the assembly line. That night the Battalion returned to Caudry.
He is buried in Plot 3, Row E, Grave 12 in the Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension in France.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
