12666 Private William John Western
9th(Service)Battalion
Devonshire Regiment
1st July 1916
Born on 09/10/1882, in Wells, Somerset. He was baptised on 12/11/1882.
His parents were William James Western(1849-1893) and
Ann Western(1853-1894). They were married on 20/10/1873.
William had 1 brother,Harry(born in 1879) and a sister,
Ann(1875-1962).
In the 1891 census,the family were recorded as living at
31 Southover Wells ,Somerset. William snr was employed as a publican.
On 01/03/1900 William was employed as a cleaner by the Great Western Railway at Wells station. He resigned this post on 01/06/1900.
In the 1901 census,it recorded William living with his sisters family at 22a Southover Wells,Somerset,whilst working as a masons labourer.
In 1905 he married Blanche Elizabeth Hippisley
(born in 1886).
The 1911(Welsh) census recorded that William was boarding at 157 Primrose Street, Tonypandy,Glamorgan,Wales,whilst working as an underground coal miner.
He enlisted in Tonypandy, Glamorgan and his date of disembarkation into France was on 27/05/1915.
He was killed in action on 01/07/1916.
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star,the 1914-1918 British War and Allied Victory medals.
Blanche remarried in 1917 to George Thomas and her home address was
108 Thomas Street,Tonypandy(Rhondda),Glamorgan.