Private William Richard Angliss
| Date of Birth | c. 1900 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 19 |
| Date of Death | 27 April 1918 |
| Service Number | 89486 |
| Military Service | 2nd Battalion Duke of Cambridge Own (Middlesex) Regiment |
| Merton Address | 55 Gladstone Road, Mitcham |
| Local Memorial | St. Mark's Church, Mitcham |
Additional Information
William’s parents had married in 1899 and were just 22 when he was born in 1900. His father, also William, was a bricklayer and his mother’s name was Beatrice. William Jnr was baptised in the church of SS Peter and Paul on 2 July 1900. At that time they lived at 6 Cecil Road but moved shortly afterwards as their address was on Commonside East by the 1901 census.
Over the next ten years their family grew and William gained three sisters, Beatrice, Eleanor and Alice and a brother Arthur. By the 1911 census they were living at 1 Cherry Tree Cottage, Western Road, Mitcham in a 4 roomed house. They also had a lodger named Herbert Higgs who worked for the Gas Board.
Once William was old enough, he went to Kingston on Thames and enlisted in the Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex) Regiment
“Villers Bretonneux - 24/04/1918
Location: Bois d'Aquennes, Villers-Bretonneux. British victory. Notable as the site of the first tank-versus-tank battle in history, Villers-Bretonneux had been the objective of a strong German attack in early April 1918.
On the morning of 24th April the Germans attacked again, following a night long artillery barrage of mustard gas and high explosive. Four German divisions, supported by fourteen tanks, attacked along a front held by 58th and 8th Divisions.
Both Divisions had suffered heavy casualties during the Operation Michael offensive and their replacements consisted largely of inexperienced 18 and 19 year-olds. The unexpected German tank and infantry attack overwhelmed 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment and 2nd Middlesex Regiment in trenches in the Bois de l'Abbe and the town quickly fell.
During the night a counter attack by two Australian brigades aided by 2nd Northamptonshire Regiment and 22nd Durham Light Infantry recaptured the town. Then with the aid of three British tanks who engaged the German tanks near the Bois d'Aquennes, cleared the woods.”
Ref Forces War Records
William was wounded in this offensive and died on 27 April. He is buried in Grave A14 in the Longpre-les-Corps Saints British Cemetery, Department de Somme, Picardie.
By the time of his death, his family had again moved house and were living at 55 Gladstone Road Mitcham.