Name
William Harris Spriggs
13 October 1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/02/1916
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
12023
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
“D” Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BIENVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY
IV.A.6
France
Headstone Inscription
TILL THE DAY BREAK AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY HE LIVETH IN OUR MEMORY EVER
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, Not on the Baldock memorials
Pre War
William Harris Spriggs was born in Baldock in on 13 October 1893 to Henry George and Harriett Spriggs. On the 1901 Census the family were living in Hertford at 23 Old Cross, where his father was a Police Inspector. They had moved to 25 Apton Road, Bishop's Stortford by 1911. His father, aged 51, had retired from his post as Police Superintendent of the Hertfordshire Constabulary and William was working as an Outfitter’s Assistant. Prior to enlistment William had been a member of the Old Royston E Company, 1st Bn. Hertfordshire Regiment for four years.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford on 14 August 1914 into the Bedfordshire Regiment soon after war was declared and served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 30 July 1915, where he was in charge of the Machine Gun Section, 6th (Service) Btn. He was killed in action near Belavillers when he and Private Arthur Merriman were shot through the head.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £9 10s and pay owing of £3 15s 9d. His father, Mr Henry Geo. Spriggs, 25 Apton Road, Bishop's Stortford, Herts. ordered the headstone inscription: "TILL THE DAY BREAK AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY HE LIVETH IN OUR MEMORY EVER"
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson
