250440 Pte. William Arthur Riley British Army 26th Battalion Royal Fusiliers from:Finchly (d.20th September 1917) As a child I remember people talking in hushed tones about a relative who died in World War One, but never really understood who he was and what had happened to him. With the arrival of the centenary years I started thinking about him and wanted to find out more. I have managed to piece together quite a lot of his story but will continue searching for more information.
My Great Uncle Will Riley joined 26th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (Bankers Battalion) in July 1915 at the age of 29. A month after this his 26 year old wife died.
Will's service records were destroyed in WWII, but the Battalion's War Diary is available in the National Archives. In this I have been able to read about the battalions service in Flanders and at the Somme. What stands out is the privations, how rarely they got a bath, the excitement about getting clean underclothing and the weather, weeks of frozen snow, torrential rain. Their suffering is unimaginable.
For Will these privations ended on 20th of September 1917, at the Battle of Menin Road Ridge. He was killed in action that day. The entry in the war diary for this day is brief, unlike most entries almost as if the writer was in shock. It is as follows:
"The Battalion took part in an attack on Tower Hamlets Ridge. Zero hour being 5/50am. Lt Col G. Mcnickel DSO died of wounds received in action.
- Total casualties Officers other ranks
- Killed 6 27
- Died of wounds 2 15
- Wounded 14 246
- Missing 4 45
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