Potterton, W
WILLIAM/WILLIE POTTERTON
Remembered with honour Le Touret Memorial: Panel 11.
He previously enlisted 10 May 1910 at Stratford, Essex, for Short Service (7 years with the Colours, 5 years in the Reserves), in the Leicestershire Regiment: a general labourer aged 21, 5’4″ tall, C of E; next of kin his mother of Watford. He served at Home 10 May 1910 to 29 November 1911, in India 29 November 1911 to 19 September 1914, and in France from 20 September 1914 until he was killed in action 13* March 1915. He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 12 October 1914.
There is an article about and a Death announcement for William in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 3 April 1915; plus an In Memoriam in the issues dated 10 March 1917 and 16 March 1918.
Son of Mary Jane ATKINS (formerly POTTERTON, nee CLARK) of Watford and the late Thomas POTTERTON.
His parents married 22 March 1881 at St Mary’s Priory, Worksop, Notts. Thomas died 1890 in Watford aged 35, and was buried 30 September in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford. Mary remarried 1894 in the Watford district to William ATKINS; she died 1928 in Watford aged 70, and was buried 17 September, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
William was born 4 November 1888 in Battersea, Surrey, and baptised 29 November 1888 at St Stephen’s, Battersea. He attended Beechen Grove Board School, Watford, from 3 January to 7 November 1898. He resided in Watford.
On the 1891 Census, he is proving elusive. On the 1901 Census, aged 12 he lived in Watford, with his mother, step-father and three siblings. On the 1911 Census, a Private in the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, he was stationed in Aldershot, Hants.
Service number
8959Rank
PrivateUnit
2nd BattalionRegiment
Date of death
13/03/1915*Age at death
24Place of death
Memorial(s)
- 1st S.W. Herts Scout Troop [in St Mary's Parish Church Watford] (4)
- Abbot's Langley Herts War Memorial (17)
- Aldbury Herts War Memorial (1)
- Aldenham Herts War Memorial (located in Letchmore Heath Herts) (8)
- All Saints Church Croxley Green Herts (12)
- All Saints Church Harrow Weald Middx (2)
- All Saints Church Hertford (1)
- All Saints Church King's Langley Herts (1)
- All Saints Church Leavesden Herts (31)
- All Saints Church Witham Essex (3)