2nd Lieutenant William Thomas Rutledge
| Date of Birth | 24 March 1900 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 18 |
| Date of Death | 2 November 1918 |
| Service Number | |
| Military Service | 38th Squadron Royal Air Force |
| Merton Address | 25 Birkbeck Road, Wimbledon |
| Local Memorial | Rutlish School, Merton |
Additional Information
William was born on 24 March 1900 in Grayes, Essex. His father Peter worked in the relatively new trade of oil distribution . William was the only child of Peter and Christina and by 1911 they were living at 25 Birkbeck Road, Wimbledon.
William attended Rutlish School from 1913 to 1915 then went to work as a clerk for the Shell Marketing Co. Ltd.
He stayed with Shell until December 1917 when he became a cadet in the Royal Flying Corps. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant Observer and on 9 October 1918 he was posted to 38th Squadron RAF in Dunkirk.
He died on 2 November 1918, a victim of the influenza epidemic. He was not yet 19. He is buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery.