R/4814, Rifleman, William 'Albert' BOND M.M.
Aged 23
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Born 18th April 1894 in Wandsworth. Apparently registered Wandsworth 1d:680 although that is recorded as William Alfred BOND. The War Memorial and the plaque
in St Agnes' Church are the only records showing 'Albert'. Only son of William George and Annie BOND (née TERRY), later of Heathside Cottage, Bury Road, Newmarket.
1901 census...At Penton Grafton, Hampshire were William [7] with his father William [33] domestic gardener born Maldon, Essex; his mother Annie [32] born Lenham ,Kent; and his sisters Nellie [8] born Sutton, Essex, and Dorothy [3] born Wandsworth. 1911 census...William was still at Penton Grafton as a gardener/groom, lodging with Thomas and Mary Hayter. His parents and sister Dorothy had moved to The Cottage, Newlands, Camberley. Married on 28th February 1918 (Home on leave from 20th February to 5th March 1918) in St Agnes' Church, Bury Road, Newmarket to Dorothy HUTCHINS (b.18-5-1891), later of 80 Mapledene Road, Dalston, London. Dorothy appears to be a girl from his home area. On the pension card she was at 98 Richmond Road, Dalston E8. |
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He enlisted at Winchester in the King's Royal Rifle Corps on 14th September 1914, height 5' 8 1/2" (174 cm) weighing 132 lbs (60.1 kg). 14-9-1014 to 20-7-1915......... training and duty in UK. 21-7-1915....................... to France via Folkstone. December 1915 .................. seven days off with influenza. September 1916 ...... seven days off with PUO (Pyrexia Unknown Origin).A medical term for don't know what it is ! 28 February 1917.....GSW (Gun Shot Wound) to head, sent to 34 CCS (near Peronne) and then via "SS David" on 6th March to UK. 7-3-1917 .........................Birmingham War Hospital. 18-3-1917 to 27-3-1917........... on leave in Newmarket with parents at Heathside, Bury Road. 7-5-1917 .........................from Southampton to Le Havre returning to 16th Battalion 14-12-1917 ................gazetted for award of the Military Medal 20-2-1918 to 5-3-1918............ on UK leave (this must have been when he married) 9-3-1918 .........................returned to Unit 13-4-1918........................ recorded as missing and presumed dead From "The Great War Forum" we have this, albeit William was not necessarily in this D Company: "The 16th KRRC were involved in operations at Neuve Eglise/Nieuwkerke from 11th April 1918. D company had been in a reserve position initially but by 7am on the 12th all companies of the 16th. were involved in action. The morning of the 13th was very misty....At about 6am., a very heavy barrage was put down along the whole line and as soon as it lifted, it was seen that the line on the right of the Battalion had given way in the face of a very heavy enemy attack. News of D Company came about 3pm. L/Cpl Dean of D Company arrived with a verbal message from Lieut. Hannay of D Company to say that they were completely surrounded but were holding on, killing many Germans, but due to a lack of ammunition, they could not hold on much longer. (Alas) Lieut. Hannay was by this time some 2km. behind the advanced elements of the enemy forces and with the troops available it was not possible to give him any relief." In all between 12th and 17th April, the 16th KRRC had 544 casualties among the Other Ranks of whom approx 420 were killed or missing. |
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