Private. 1/7th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service number 306443.
Early life:
Willie was born towards the end of 1896, the birth registered in Keighley in the last quarter of the year. Parents John and Jane Fletcher.
They had been living at 7, Hebble Row since at least 1890 and were there at the time of Willie’s birth. They moved to 29, Brook Row in 1902.
By 1901 he was four years old and he was living at 29, Brook Row in Oakworth with his parents and older brother Percy. His father John was a worsted twister and spinner.
John died in 1905 at the age of 52, registered in Keighley in the last quarter of the year, Willie would have been eight years old.
By 1911 he was fourteen and living at 1, Ash Street, Highfield, Keighley with his widowed mother and younger sister Annie. Willie was working as an apprenticed joiner with Messrs. Alfred Lord and Son of Keighley.
War service:
He enlisted with the West Riding Regiment in Keighley in February, 1916 and went out to France with the 1/7th Battalion. His 3858 service number was changed to the six figure 306443 early in 1917.
War diary for the 1/7th Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment, 1917:
April 27.
Usual training. Weather good. Good conduct badges published in orders. Draft of 7 O.R.
April 28.
Relieved 1/6 West Riding Regiment in trenches. A Coy and B Coy in line, C Coy support, D Coy reserve. Quiet day. Lt Bamforth to be Acting Capt. 1st April. Relief complete at 11.30 am. (completion time obtained from 1/6 WRR war diary).
April 29. ” Coys P.E.F. joined for instruction. WINDY CORNER heavy shelled. One trench mortar casualty in line.
Willie died of wounds on April 28, 1917 and was buried in grave 13, row A, plot III of Merville Communal Cemetery, in Northern France.
There is no mention in the war diary of a man being wounded for several days before his death and it is possible he may be the trench mortar casualty mentioned on April 29.
Keighley News May 12, 1917, page 5:
Private W. R. Fletcher (20), West Riding Regiment, son of Mrs Fletcher, of 9, Brigg Street, Keighley, has died from wounds. He joined the Army about fifteen months ago, and before enlistment was serving his apprenticeship as a joiner with Messrs. Alfred Lord & Son, Keighley.
Post war:
He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and Victory
Medal for his war service.
