222902 CQMS. William "Big Billy" Wild DSO.British Army 26th Btn. Northumberland Fusillers It was on the 10th Dec 1914 William Wild enlisted as a CQMS. Regt. No. 725 with the 26th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers.
The 1st-4th Tyneside Irish Battalions were Pals Battalions raised in Newcastle by the Lord Mayor and City on 14 November (1st), 9 November (2nd), 23 November 1914 (3rd) and 5 January 1915 (4th). In March 1915 they moved to Woolsington they formed 103rd (Tyneside Irish) Brigade, 34th Division in June 1915. They were taken over by the War Office on the 27 August 1915, moved to Salisbury Plain at the end of the month for further training before crossing over to France in January 1916.
During the attack on La Boiselle the battalion was under heavy machine gun fire all of the officers of his company were casualties, he took over command of what was left of the three platoons and led them on to complete their objective. He found the Battalion’s Adjutant, who was wounded, took over his papers and keeping in touch with the Battalion, returned to the wounded Adjutant and carried him to safety whilst under fire. On hearing that his brother Gawen had also been wounded, he searched for, found, and carried him under fire to safety. These brave acts resulted in the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
He was also wounded in action and on return to duty he was transferred to the 27th, 26th, Battalion’s and was commissioned in to the Argyle & Southern Highlanders where he served until his discharge in April 1919.
|