William Edward Fox

A Private with the 12th Battalion, William died on 24th of July 1918 at the age of 22. 

William was born at Lowestoft in 1896, a son of William Gilby and Edith Clara Fox. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church on 3 July 1896 and his family lived at 7 Stanford Street and by 1901 they were living at 61 Stanley Street. William’s mother died and his father remarried. By 1911 his family were living at 247 Clapham Road, and William was a fish packer. In 1913 they lived at 60 Sussex Road, and William was a box maker. Later his family lived at 40 Victoria Road, Tipton, Staffordshire. 

On 7 January 1913 William enlisted in the 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment (Territorial Force) at Lowestoft, service number 1576. He was embodied on 5 August 1914 and continued to serve until 5 April 1916 when he was discharged as a consequence of the Military Service Act which means that he was discharged from his Territorial Force terms of service and could be conscripted and deployed anywhere in the Army. 

William enlisted in the Army at Norwich on 6 November 1916. He joined the East Surrey Regiment, service number 30724. It seems that he was to be posted to the 7th Battalion but was, instead, posted to 1st Battalion and he joined A Company.

On 18 January 1917 he was admitted 11 General Hospital, Dannes, Camiers, 18 January 1917, with severe laryngitis. He was invalided to England on 13 February and, once recovered, he returned to serve with the 1st Battalion. He was then diagnosed with disorderly action of the heart and was treated at Westminster Hospital. He joined a convalescence camp on 15 May 1917 and, once recovered, he returned to France. William was wounded and his name appears in the official casualty list, the War Office Daily List, dated 20 October 1917. Subsequently he served with the 12th Battalion. 

From 21 July 1918 the 12th Battalion were at La Clytte. On 24 July a neighbouring battalion, the 15th Hampshire Regiment, carried out a raid. In response the German artillery shelled the British positions, including the positions held by the 12th Battalion. Seven men, including William, were killed, and three others wounded. 

William’s brother Frederick died in an air raid in 1940.