Name
William Reynolds
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Pirton School Memorial
Biography
William appears on the School War Memorial, confirming that he attended the school. Parish records suggest only one man of this name who could have served, and he was born on January 24th 1883 to Lewis and Mary Ann Reynolds (née Catterell). He would have been twenty-four at the outbreak of war. In all it would appear that six brothers served and four survived - refer to George Thomas Reynolds for more family details.
In 1904, on March 12th, William married Margaret Barnes. His sister Abigail and brother Albert were witnesses. At that time William was a gamekeeper.
By 1911, all but Walter appear to have left the family home, which was 3 Wesley Cottages - the group of cottages behind the terrace which now contains the village shop. William does not appear in the Pirton census, so must have been working or living away from Pirton at the time.
A newspaper cutting from very late 1917 or perhaps early 1918 provides confirmation that William's parents were Mr and Mrs Lewis Reynolds of 3 Wesley Cottages. His father had a small-holding and his mother had been an invalid for several years. Harry was one of six brothers serving; the others were Walter and Albert, who both died and are listed on the Village War Memorial, and Jacob, Harry and George who survived. It is also recorded that they had at least one sister, whose husband was also serving. At the time of the report, William was a private in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry serving as an officer's servant in France. He had a wife and five children living in Edenbridge, Kent.
A letter from Norman Newbery, dated December 1914, thanks Mr Franklin for the gift of jerseys for him, W Reynolds (could be Walter or William) and Edward Goldsmith. It also confirms that all three were in “G” Company and at Thurston in Suffolk, near Bury St. Edmunds.
Grace Tullett (née Abbiss), William’s Granddaughter, provided the photograph and confirms that he was born in 1883 and died in 1968.
Additional Information
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
