William Reynolds

Rank:SergeantNumber:7888
Ship/Rgn/Sqn No:01st Bn ('A' Coy)
Name of Rgt or Ship:Welsh Rgt
Died:30/10/1914Age:32
How Died:Killed in Action
Country of burial:Belgium
Cemetery or Memorial:Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
Town Memorial:Not Listed
Extra Information:
Born during the December quarter 1882 in the Birkenhead R.D. - ref: 8a/509,
the son of William & Elizabeth Reynolds (nee Manson).

1891 Census - Olive Mount, Tranmere, Birkenhead, Cheshire.    Son - aged: 8
- Scholar - born: Tranmere, Cheshire.   Head of household - William
Reynolds - Married - aged: 35 - occ: Railway Engine Driver - born:
Tranmere.   Also - Elizabeth Reynolds - Wife - aged: 33 - born: Tilston,
Cheshire.   Plus 3 younger siblings - Ernest E, Reynolds, Louisa M.
Reynolds and Grace E. Reynolds listed in his W363 records.

His mother - Elizabeth Reynolds died in 1892, aged: 34.

1901 Census - No Trace, but his father and siblings resided at Hooton Road,
Willaston, Wirral, Cheshire.   William Widower - aged: 45 - occ: Railway
Engine Driver.  Louie Reynolds - aged: 15, Ernest Reynolds - aged:13 and
Grace Reynolds - aged: 11.

Married Jane Elizabeth Edwards at Shrewsbury on the 26th December 1906. 
The two witnesses were E.E. Reynolds and M.A.F. Edwards.  William & Jane
had three children - Frances Emily G. - born: 24th February 1908 - Dorothy
Muriel - born: 24th April 1911 and William Edward - born: 23rd September
1913.  All three were born at Bramley, Leeds.

1911 Census - 16 Grasmere Place, Armley and Bramley, Yorkshire.   Head of
household - Married - aged: 28 - occ: Warder at H.M. Prison - born:
Birkenhead.   Also - Elizabeth Reynolds - Wife - aged: 28 - born:
Shrewsbury, Shropshire.  Plus their daughter - Grace - aged: 3 - born:
Leeds, Yorkshire.   Grace's name was actually - Frances Emily Grace
Reynolds and was obviously named after his sister Grace.

From his WO363 records - William had a brother - Ernest Edwin Reynolds -
born: 1889 and two sisters - Louie - born: 1886 and Grace - born: 1891. 
Grace was on the staff of the Fever Hospital, Wigan.

WO 363 - Enlisted into the Royal Wesh Fusiliers at Shrewsbury on the 14th
September 1903.  Born in the Parish of St. Mary's, Shrewsbury, Shropshire,
he was aged: 18 years 11 months and was employed as a Railway Booking
Clerk.   He was 5 feet 9 inches in height, weighed 130 lb, with an
expansion rate of 2 inches, his expanded chest measurememt was 34 inches.  
He had a Fresh complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair.   Posted to the
1st Bn RWF on the 22nd April 1904.   Appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on the
9th June 1904.   Posted to the Depot RWF on the 15th October 1904 and
appointed as a Paid Lance Corporal the next day - the 16th October 1904. 
Promoted to the rank of Corporal on the 26th May 1905.   Tranferred to  the
Army Reserve on the 13th September 1906.    He was then recorded as being
21 years 11 months and his intended place of residence was to be 32 Benyon
Street, Castlefield, Shrewsbury.

On the 31st January 1903, he was absent from Camp from 12 midnight until 11
pm on the 1st January 1904.  For that offence he had 10 days pay deducted. 
 On the 5th Aopril 1904 he was again missing from Camp from 12 midnight
until 10 am the following morning (10 hours), for which he again lost 10
days pay.

Re-engaged into the RWF as an Acting Sergeant on the 10th September 1914
and into the 1st Battalion as a Corporal on the 22nd September 1914. 
Posted to France on the 14th October 1914.   Reported as wounded and
missing on the 30th October 1914. Total Army service recorded as 11 years,
47 days w.e.f. that date.

Next of Kin recorded as William Reynolds, Hooton Road, Willaston, Cheshire.
  A later document dated the 4th September 1919, states that he was now
deceased and had resided at 24 Armley Grove Place, Leeds.  The same
document shows that his widow had now remarried and was known as Jane E.
Turner, 40 The Avenue, Starbeck, Harrogate.   She married a William T.
Turner during the September quarter 1918 in the Barton upon Irwell R.D.

The 1st Bn, Welsh Rgt were part of the 19th Infantry Brigade, 6th
Division.

CWGC - Husband of Jane E. Turner (formerly Reynolds), of 21, Regent Place,
Starbeck, Harrogate. Clerk and Schoolmaster in H.M. Prison. Wakefield.

SDGW wrongly recorded his birth town as Shrewsbury, Shropshire, hoever, he
was born at Tranmere, Wirral.   It was his wife that was born at Shrewsbury
!!!



Memorials found on:
Poplar Grove
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