251547 Spr. William White MM.Royal Engineers 257th Tunnelling Company from:Tarbolton William White man served on the Western Front from the 6th of December 1915. He was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty under fire, though his full citation is currently unknown.
William was a miner in his civilian life, meaning he had years of experience down the tunnels. When the Royal Engineers formed the Tunnelling Companies, William enlisted, leaving his numerous offspring behind.
The tunnellers were only required to complete a couple of weeks of training before proceeding to France. William arrived on the Western Front in December 1915 with the 257th Tunnelling Company.
William's wartime experience is unknown to our family, but he was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in action. We presume he served at the Battle of Arras, though we cannot be 100% sure.
William returned from France to his family in Scotland. He was a very gentle soul and never spoke about his time in the trenches. He had a total of nine children, with his son serving in the Second World War.
William died in the 1950s. His medals are still with family today.
|