William Martin Read

A Private with 3rd Bn., William died on 7th of November 1918 at the age of 22. 

William was born at Carlton Colville in 1896, a son of George and Elizabeth Read. In 1901 his family lived at Hillary Cottages, Main Road, Carlton Colville. In 1911 their home was at 3 Ormesby Villas, Victoria Road, Oulton Broad, and later they lived at 3 Olive Cottages, Carlton Colville. In 1911 William was at sea and on board the trawler Eclipse, LT 684, at Padstow. His father was the Skipper of the Eclipse. 

William volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. Initially he served with the Suffolk Regiment, service number 16548. He was posted to the 1st Battalion and arrived in France on 3 May 1915. Later he was posted to the 4th Battalion. In August 1918 he was serving with the 3rd Battalion Suffolk Regiment, in England, and on 30 August he was at a Y Scheme Concentration Centre getting ready to return to France. William was then transferred to the Royal Fusiliers and joined the 3rd Battalion in France.  

William died of wounds at a Casualty Clearing Station at Premont. We do not know exactly when he was wounded, but the 3rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers moved into the vicinity of Le Cateau on 30 October 1918 and it is most likely that William was wounded between 30 October and 7 November 1918. During this period the Battalion was involved in a successful attack on Fontaine-au-Bois.