William Wyatt

Born: 12 September 1898

Died: 25 November 1916

Rank and Regiment: Private 7588 in the 1st/6th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers (formerly 3244 of the Norfolk Regiment)

Resting Place: Albert Communal Cemetery Extension, France - Plot I. Q. B

Memorial: St. Andrew’s, Westfield, United Kingdom

William Wyatt was born on 12 September 1898 in Westfield to parents James and Mary Ann Wyatt.

At the time of the 1901 Census James was described as a cattle drover; by 1911 he was being described as a cattle dealer. This change in his fortunes may be linked to the fact that William is recorded twice as being admitted to the school at Whinburgh; he is first admitted on 20 October 1903, but then he is admitted again in 1907, his previous school being given as “London”.

The family was large - consisting of the James and Mary Anna and at least 6 children, all sons: James, John, Charles, Arthur, George and William.

Virtually none of William’s military records survive, however we do know that he enlisted in Dereham and joined the British territorial force. He joined as a Private in the Norfolk Regiment before being transferred to the Northumberland Fusiliers. He was successively No 5/5706 in the 1st/5th Battalion and then 7588 in the 1st/6th Battalion. At age 18, he was accidentally killed on 25th November 1916 although we have not been able to find out about the circumstances of his death. He is buried in Albert Communal Cemetery Extension in France, and his next of kin was listed as his father.

His effects amounting to £5 2s 7d were paid out to his father, together with a War Gratuity of £8 10s.

We also have the enlistment papers of his older brother John, born in 1886. John joined the Norfolk militia and just after his 18th birthday he enlisted at Lichfield in the North Staffordshire Regiment. He saw service in India and suffered from both enteric fever and malaria. He married in Derby in October 1914, and the same month was promoted to Corporal. In December of that year, however, suffering from severe varicose veins, he was discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit. He had been a good soldier – his character was described as Exemplary and he had gained two good conduct medals – but he declined to have an operation on his varicose veins, a decision which the military authorities tartly described as “unreasonable” but which, in the days before antibiotics, was entirely understandable.

It was a decision, of course, which ensured that he survived the War; we find him in 1939 living in Derby and working as a goods train guard on the LMS.

Albert Communal Cemetery Extension, France