241303 L/Cpl. William Jotcham British Army 12th (Bermondsey) Btn. East Surrey Regiment from:London/Wotton-under-Edge (d.25th March 1918) William Jotcham came originally from Wotton-under-Edge. He was one of four brothers serving in WW1 - the others being Herbert, Fred and George. Only George was to survive.
William moved to London in his early 20s and married Agnes Croft. He lived at Caernarfon Road, Woodford Green and had one daughter (my mother Olive, born in 1914). He saw action in France and Belgium serving as a signaller.
He was involved in the Somme battles at Fricourt and Fleurs in 1916 and also Mametz Wood. He was also with his battalion in the Ypres Salient, but was sent back to Blighty to Aldershot Hospital suffering from cerebro spinal fever caught in the trenches. He recovered and returned to France but on 21st March a great German offensive opened and the 12th East Surrey Battalion moved from Halloy to Savoy Camp.
On 22nd March they moved towards the front line north east of Sapignies. Later that day they took up their places in the front line on the Baupaume-Vraucourt Road. They remained in the front line for three days, being continually shelled by the Germans and also undergoing aircraft fire. On the night of 24th March they had to dig new trenches but were attacked soon after dawn on 25th suffering severe losses. At this time William Jotcham was killed. He was reported missing in May after a six-week period.
It took more than a year before his parents were formally informed that the army authorities had concluded that he had died in action. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial for the Missing, Bay D.
His brother Herbert had already died of wounds in October 1917 - he was serving in the Royal Army Medical Crps (1/2 North Midland Field Ambulance) and suffered severe injuries when a bomb fell on the hospital where he was serving. Despite undergoing surgery he died within 24 hours, being buried in Fouquieres Churchyard Extension, France, Plot 2, Row D, Grave D1.
William and Hertbert's other brother, 2nd Lt. Fred Jotcham, served in the Royal Engineers, 4th Special Company. Wounded in 1915 he recovered and returned to active service only to die of subsequent wounds on 27th September 1918 - a terrible blow to his parents Frederick and Elizabeth Jotcham who had still not received formal confirmation of the death of William in March of the same year.
|