1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
William Bendall was born in Berkeley in 1889, the son of Sharpness dock worker William and his
wife Mary. William (junior) followed his father into dock work and married Mary Malpass in
1908.
Unfortunately no Army Service Record has survived for William but such information that is
available shows him joining the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment in France on 19 January
1915 and it seems likely that he had at least some form of military training prior to the outbreak of war.
It is also probable that he saw action with the battalion at the Battles of Aubers Ridge and Loos
in 1915. On 6 July 1916 the 1st Glosters joined the Somme Offensive near Contalmaison and on
8 September took part in an attack on the south west face of High Wood. The battalion suffered
over 200 casualties that day, many from the British barrage falling short on their assembly
trenches.
Lance Corporal William Bendall was almost certainly one of the casualties from that day and
was transported to a base hospital on the French coast, prior to evacuation to the UK. On
14 September 1916 he died, whilst crossing the Channel aboard the Hospital Ship Aberdonian.
William was brought home to Berkeley for burial in the town cemetery.