William Spiers Connell likeness

William Spiers Connell cap badgePrivate William Spiers Connell

1/8th (The Argyllshire) Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Service No: S/18810

William Spiers Connell grave

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Personal details

Family Information

Eldest son of Robert (1876 - 26/02/1928) and Mary Connell (1879 - 31/12/1953) of 10 William St, Coatbridge. From the 1901 Census - Address - 10 Nimmos Row, Holytown, Lanarkshire - Robert Connell aged 23, Mary Connell aged 21, William Connell aged 2, Robert Connell (11/03/1900 - 15/05/1916) aged 1, boarders Alexander McCluckie aged 19 and Alfred McCluckie aged 14. William had 5 more sisters and 1 more brother, Susan born 17/06/1906, Grace (11/10/1907 - 18/11/1907), Margaret (Peggy) (1910 - 1984), Sarah McLuckie (29/01/1913 - 1983), Thomas (18/03/1914 - 1988), and Annie.

Born / Resided

32 High St, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire / 10 William St, Coatbridge.

Died

Killed in Action (leg wound) on the 22/03/1918 at the Battle of St. Quentin (phase of the 1st Battles of the Somme 1918)

Enlisted

Hamilton

Employed

Barman with Mr Melaugh.

Age

19 / DOB - 12/08/1898

Buried / Remembered

Pozieres Memorial (Panel 77 and 78), Somme, France.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

Additional Information

The Battalion arrived in France in May 1915 and were part of the 183rd Brigade, 61st (2nd South Midland) Division when William fell at the Battle of St. Quentin, This was a phase of the 1st Battles of the Somme, 21st March – 5th April 1918 : After transferring very large forces from the now-collapsed Eastern Front, the German Army commits to a series of large-scale offensives. The first, Operation Michael, strikes the British Fifth and Third Armies. A deep advance is made and inflicts large losses, although the second phase, Operation Mars, at Arras on 28th March, is soon held. In the crisis, the Allies decide at Doullens to appoint French General Foch as co-ordinator, and soon enough, as Generalissimo. Before enough French and British reserves are finally assembled to hold the German advance before it captures the critical railway junctions at Amiens. SEE PHOTOS x 7 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY FEBRUARY - MARCH 1918. The War Diary states Battalion casualties for the 22/03/1918 were - "Officers : 2 Wounded, 4 Missing. Other Ranks : 6 Killed, 37 Wounded, 13 Missing". See photos for a letter written by a German medical student who found William's body on the battlefield. The doctor wrote it in German on the back inside cover of William's British Expeditionary Force bible which he later translated into English. The letter along with William's bible and baton were later received by his mother Mary in Scotland. Many thanks to Audrey Henderson who provided this information and photos of William, his sisters Sarah and Annie and his brother Thomas and their father Robert's Death Certificate (see photos). The full photo of William and the photo and wreath laid at Pozieres Memorial also supplied by Audrey. See photos for William's Medal Index Card, his and his Parents names on the North Lanarkshire (Coatbridge) Electoral Register, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Pozieres Memorial, his name on the Pozieres Memorial Panel List and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Cap Badge. Finally, see photos for Poppy placed by myself at Pozieres Memorial in July 2023 x 3 and Pozieres Cemetery and Memorial taken by myself July in 2023 x 2.

Photos
William Spiers Connell Medal Index CardWilliam Spiers Connell remembered at homeWilliam Spiers Connell remembered at homeWilliam Spiers Connell remembered at homeWilliam Spiers Connell remembered at homeWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photoWilliam Spiers Connell additional photo

War Diaries

The battalion War Diary is available on the National Archives website.

Creative Commons License

We have made this information and the images available under a Creative Commons BY-NC license. This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement: © coatbridgeandthegreatwar.com

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