7th Battalion, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment
William Brinkworth was born in Gloucester in 1898. His parents were Thomas and Susannah (known as Annie) and according to the 1911 Census the couple had six children, of whom five were surviving. Thomas was an engine stoker at a flour mill and the family lived at 64 Millbrook Street, Gloucester. William’s siblings were Mabel (born 1894), Bertram (born 1905), Kathleen (born 1909) and Walter (born 1911).
Unfortunately no Army Service Record has survived for William and little is known about his time in the Army. His Medal Index Card held at the National Archives notes that he initially served in the Gloucestershire Regiment (with the number 29994). Although he may have enlisted in the early part of 1916, when aged 17, it is unlikely that he went abroad until the second half of 1917 (hinted at in a newspaper report – see below).
At some point he was posted to the 7th Battalion, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, who were part of 55 Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. That Division was regarded as one of the best units fighting on the Western Front. Between 21 and 23 August 1918 the 18th Division took part in the Battle of Albert, when the British Army advanced over the former Somme battlefields of 1916, which had been recaptured by the Germans during their Spring Offensive earlier in the year.
It is very likely that William was wounded during this action. The Gloucestershire Chronicle of 14 September 1918 reported that William’s parents had been notified that their son ‘ … had been wounded in both legs and back and had been brought to a London VAD hospital … he has been in France thirteen months and before enlisting was employed by Messrs. Lansley & Cullis, The Docks, Gloucester’.
The 14 September edition of the Gloucester Journal reported that William had died of wounds at Amhurst Park Hospital, London. His death was on 8 September, aged 20.
Amhurst Hospital was located in Stamford Hill, North London and the site is now residential apartments.
The Gloucester Journal of 21 September reported his funeral, which took place at the Good Shepherd Church, where William had been a chorister for five years prior to the war. The Vicar of All Saints presided at the service and at the graveside. One of the mourners was Dollie Francis, stated to be William’s fiancée.
William Brinkworth now lies in Gloucester Old Cemetery, where a standard CWGC headstone now marks his grave. He is commemorated on the Gloucester War Memorial.
Researched by Graham Adams 7 December 2018