William followed in his father’s footsteps and enlisted into the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 29 September 1857 at Woolwich. He was aged just 14 years and two months. He was given the service number 1830 and joined the 7th Battalion as a Boy, although he served with the 8th Battalion between October 1858 and May 1859.
William was then posted to the 7th Brigade, which was headquartered in Montreal, Canada, although he served with the 5th Battery stationed in Jamaica. He lived and worked on the island for the next five years, which must have been a fabulous experience at a time when foreign travel was virtually unknown for the working man.
He returned home in October 1864 to join the Depot Brigade that October, being promoted to Corporal in March 1867. William’s final posting was to the 2nd Brigade in August 1867, which was headquartered in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). He joined the 9th Battery which were serving in Penang in what is now known as Malaysia. Unfortunately, he contracted hepatitis during September 1869, due “to the effects of climate while doing his ordinary duties as a clerk in the battery pay office”. This ultimately led to his discharge 18 months later.
His record shows that he was awarded two good conduct badges, and his character was described as very good. At the time of his discharge, he was 5 feet 7 inches tall with a fair complexion, blue eyes, and light brown hair.
Units
- 7th Battalion, Royal Artillery (1857)
- 8th Battalion, Royal Artillery (1858-1859)
- 7th Brigade, Royal Artillery (1859-1864)
- Depot Brigade, Royal Artillery (1864-67)
- 2nd Brigade, Royal Artillery (1867-1871)
See also
