Name
William Lacey
1899
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/04/1918
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
36042
Gloucestershire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 72 to 75.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
St May the Virgin Church Plaque, Clothall
Pre War
William Lacey was born in 1899 in Clothall, Herts, the son of Jane and John Lacey and baptised there on 11 June 1899.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Hickman's Hill, Clothall where his father was working as a Stockman on a Farm. His mother died in 1904 but the family remained in Hickman's Hill on the 1911 Census when he was living with his widowed father and siblings and he was an 11 year old schoolboy. Before enlisting he was employed in the gardens at Weston Park.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Bedford and served with the 8th Battalion, Gloucester Regiment.
He was killed in action between 9 April and 18 April 1918 during Operation Georgette, which was directed at Lys, part of the second phase of the German Spring offensive. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. A brief mention in a Hertfordshire Express article on 11th of May 1918 reports that "he was one of a party of ten among whom a shell fell, killing eight of them."
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £3 3s 6d. He also received a pension of 6 shillings a week.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Derry Warners
Jonty Wild
