William James Amos

William James Amos was born in 1891 in Ramsden Crays and died, aged 26,  of wounds on 12 September 1917 in France/Flanders, possibly after the battle of Hill 70.

In the 1901 census he was living with his parents John (b.1857) and Elizabeth (b. 1857, nee Poulton), aged 46 and 44 respectively, and siblings Mabel 16, Arthur 14, Albert 12, Maude 8, Sidney 6, Herbert 3 and Emily 1 in Norsey Road, Ramsden Crays.   Father John’s occupation was an estate foreman.

In the 1911 census, William, aged 20, was a carpenter  and living still with his parents in Ramsden Heath with siblings Arthur 24 (an under gardener domestic), Albert 22 (farm labourer), Maud 12, Sidney 16 (a mole catcher), Herbert 13 and Emily 11.

William enlisted at Warley, Essex  into the Bedfordshire Regiment, 8th Battalion, service no. 40076.

The 8th Battalion’s war diary for 12 September 1917 records:

12 Sep 1917 In trenches. Day quiet, aircraft active. At night B Coy rejoined & took up position in trenches opposite enemy line to be raided on night 13/14th Sept. Usual night firing. Casualties 3 O.R. killed, 6 O.R. wounded.  He is buried in Bethune Town Cemetery.

At the time of his death, his parents John and Elizabeth were still living in Ramsden Heath and his wife Eliza Eleanor (nee Amos)’s address was Hunt’s Farm, Ramsden Heath.