The Military Service of Pte William Copus

Bill enlisted into the 8^th Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment on 27 November 1915 in Richmond. At the time he was 24 years old and worked as a general labourer, still living at home with his parents.

He was given service number 6063 and described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, with a pale complexion, and brown eyes and hair. He was not mobilised until April 1916 and initially joined the 2/5^th Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment (with new service number 241376), a second-line home defence unit. After a year he was posted to France to join the 1/8^th Battalion of his own Worcestershire Regiment, gaining service number 260026. He sailed from Folkstone in June 1917 and was part of a draft of 145 new men who joined the Battalion on 11 July – with Bill allocated to A Company.

The battalion was currently at Monchy, about six miles east of Arras in France and part of the 48^th Division. The unit was undertaking a period of training. They moved by train to Poperinghe on the 23^rd, which was about 50 miles north across the border into Belgium and to the west of Ypres. Training continued as the battalion moved between a series of camps ever closer to the front lines. On 16 August they finally entered the lines to support an attack on the Langemarck-Gheluvelt line. Bill was wounded in action on the 19^th, suffering gunshot wounds to his hands.