William James Tillett

A Private with 256 Mechanical Transport Company, William died on 17th of February 1919 at the age of 33. 

William was born at Kessingland in 1886, a son of Henry and Edith Tillett. In 1891 his family lived at Wesley House, High Street, Kessingland, and this was still their home in 1911 when William worked as a fisherman.

On 12 July 1915 William married Henrietta Hebbron at Saint Andrews Church, Bishop Auckland. They lived at 14 Waldron Street, Bishop Auckland. Later Henrietta lived at 159 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London, before moving to 38 Annesley Park, Dublin.

William was working as a motor driver, when he attested for the Army at Bishop Auckland on 8 December 1915. He then joined the Army Reserve and was called up on 31 January 1917 to join the Army Service Corps (Mechanical Transport) with service number M/286321. He was an army lorry driver and passed his army test on 3 February 1917. 

William disembarked at Rouen on 23 April 1917 and joined 915 Mechanical Transport (MT) Company and was attached to 58 Auxiliary Petrol Company. He was posted to 1 Base Mechanical Transport Depot on 4 June 1917 and joined 9 Corps Supply Column on 9 June. He was then posted to 717 MT Company on 11 June 1917. In October 1917 he was fined three days’ pay for driving a lorry on a non-lorry route. On 22 December 1917 he joined 584 MT Company and on 29 December 403 MT Company. William was granted leave from 23 January to 5 February 1918 and then he joined 256 MT Company. He joined 611 MT Company on 24 March and returned to 256 MT Company on 17 June. 

William was granted a furlough to England from 6 February 1919. He was admitted to Fulham Military Hospital on 14 February, with influenza. His condition deteriorated and he died at 10.45 p.m. on 17 February.