William was born in 1873 to James and Martha Aves nee Crackwell who married at St Mary’s Woodham Ferrers on 19th November 1859. The 1881 census shows the family living at Mill Green, Bicknacre with James working as an agricultural labourer. In 1891 William is also working as an agricultural labourer.
William joined the Essex Regiment in June 1892 service number 3523, aged nineteen at Warley at which time he signed his papers with a cross. His papers suggest that he was already serving with the 4th Battalion Essex Regiment which was a part time militia battalion. He initially signed on for seven years service before the colours and five years in the reserve. At the time he was serving in India and received a gratuity in lieu of furlough in England. In 1901 he extended this to twelve years before the colours and again extended it to twenty one years in 1904.
He was originally posted to India in November 1893 and during his service he served in India, South Africa during the Second Boer War between December 1901 and August 1902, Somaliland fighting against the Dervish forces of Muḥammad ibn Abdallāh Hassan known to British public opinion as The Mad Mullah, July 1903 to June 1904 as mounted infantry at Jidbali.
The 1911 census shows him at Quetta, Balochistan, then India now Pakistan along with fellow Woodham resident Charles Lingwood..
He also served in Burma between December 1906 and December 1908 and eventually returned to England in November 1913 when he retired having completed twenty one years and one hundred and sixty two days service.
William had been awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902 clasps. Additionally he received the Africa General Service Medal with Somaliland 1902-1904 and Jidballi clasps. He also qualified for the Long Service and Good Conduct Medals. He had also trained as mounted infantry.
His discharge papers described him as of exemplary conduct, very hard working, sober and reliable.
He stated that his mother was his next of kin and that he intended to return to live in Woodham Ferrers. By this time his father had already died aged 69 and was buried in St Mary’s Churchyard, Woodham Ferrers on 25th February 1899. His mother died, aged 80 in October 1914 and was also buried in the churchyard at St Mary’s.
When William landed on 10th June, by then a lance corporal, the battalion had suffered significant losses having fought in the first, second and third Battles of Krithia losing 15 officers and 200 men between 4th and 9th June alone .
Krithia had been the target for the first day but this was never to be achieved. The battalion was involved in the Battle of Gully Ravine 28th June until 5th July followed by the Battle of Krithia Vineyard 6th to 13th August. This battle was intended to act as a diversion for the planned August Offensive and landing at Suvla Bay in which several Essex battalions took part including another Woodham man, Arthur James Eves.
William was not to enjoy much of a retirement as war broke out on 28th July 1914 and, as a reservist he would have soon been called back to the regiment.
The 1st Battalion Essex Regiment had landed at Beach W, Cape Helles in Gallipoli on the first day 25th April 1915 of the Gallipoli Campaign as part of the Incomparable 29th Division. Gallipoli is a peninsula overlooking the Dardanelles which controlled the access to the Black Sea and southern Russia.
When William landed on 10th June, by then a lance corporal, the battalion had suffered significant losses having fought in the first, second and third Battles of Krithia losing 15 officers and 200 men between 4th and 9th June alone .
Krithia had been the target for the first day but this was never to be achieved. The battalion was involved in the Battle of Gully Ravine 28th June until 5th July followed by the Battle of Krithia Vineyard 6th to 13th August. This battle was intended to act as a diversion for the planned August Offensive and landing at Suvla Bay in which several Essex battalions took part including another Woodham man, Arthur James Eves.
Unfortunately for William, having survived in excess of twenty one years as a regular soldier he was destined to survive for less than three months in Gallipoli being killed in action at The Vineyard on the first day. His body as never identified and he is remembered on the Helles Memorial which commemorates almost 21,000 allied dead with no known grave. During the battle the battalion lost 142 officers and men including Charles Lingwood also from Woodham Ferrers.
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the Allied Victory and British War Medals to add to all his other medals.