Palmer William 1898

William Palmer

1891-1953

Father: Frank Arthur Palmer c. 4 Aug 1861 Hethe, Oxfordshire died 1939 Bicester,

Mother: Annie Louisa Blincow [3346]  c 7.9.1862 Bicester  died  Jul 1930 Bicester,

Marriage: 4 Mar 1922  Alvescot,

Kin Comments:

Spouse Comments: May Lilian Blundell born 9.4.1902

Children:Doris M Palmer 1922, Frank A Palmer 1924, Margaret Palmer 1939

Research: BFA database, Ancestry

Born 1891 Bicester

24 October 1891or 18 December 1891 (Oxfordshire Burials)

1901 Census St Johns Street Albert Terrace, Bicester.

Frank A Palmer Head Married Male 39 1862 Cattleman On Farm Hethe,
Annie Palmer Wife Married Female 38 1863 – Bicester
Ellen Palmer Daughter – Female 16 1885 Servant Not Domestic Bicester
Emily Palmer Daughter – Female 12 1889 – Bicester
Ada Palmer Daughter – Female 8 1893 – Bicester,
Rose Palmer Daughter – Female 4 1897 – Bicester
William Palmer Son – Male 3 1898 – Bicester
Ernest Palmer Son – Male 1 1900 – Bicester

1911 Census 1 Ladysmith Terrace, Bicester

Frank Arthur Palmer Head Married Male Farm Labourer 49 1862 Hethe
Annie Palmer Wife Married Female – 48 1863 Bicester
William Palmer Son – Male Farm Labourer 14 1897 Bicester
Ernest Palmer Son – Male School 11 1900 Bicester

Palmer William, 1898, Corporal, Acting Sergeant,201750, 553451, 1/4th Bn. OBLI ,3/4th Bn. OBLI No 646  Agricultural Company, Labour Corps.

1914

• 2 September. Enlisted at Oxford
• 12 October. Discharged Medically Unfit.

1915

• 25th May. Enlisted again with 3/4th OBLI

1916

• 7th Feb. Landed in France assigned to Base Depot.
• At some point (probably shortly after) joined the 1/4th Bn OBLI 145th Infantry Brigade. 48th Division at the front.
• February-May. The 1/4th Bn has spells in the trenches at Hebuterne until early May and then in billets at Coiun

  

• 18 May. The 145 Inf Bde, marched to BEAUVAL via AUTHIE, MARIEUX, BEAUQUESNE.
• 10-11 June. The Brigade started marched back to the line. Route OCCOCHES – HEM – BRETEL – DOULLENS –SARTON – THIEVRES – COUIN.
• 12 June. Back in the trenches at HEBUTURNE.

• 18-19 July. Received orders to attack between OVILLERS and POZIERES  on 19th Total casualties 2 Officers wounded [2nd/Lts JEFFERSON & FENWICK (5th Middlesex Attcd)] O.R. 12 Killed: 4 missing believed wounded: 82 wounded, 1 missing.

• 21 July. Bn at Bivouacs ¼ mile NE of ALBERT.
• 23 July. Wounded In action. The Battle of POZIERES RIDGE. From War Diary “Battalion attacked. A Coy on right, D on left, B in Support to D. C in Reserve.[ For full account of these operations see Appendix]. The objective on right reached almost at once: that on left after a hard struggle, & at least two counter-attacks repulsed. Appendix 94 AM Reinforced by two Coy’s 4th R BERKS Regt. Heavy shelling all day, but no further attacks. In the afternoon it became evident that Batt had suffered heavily, & information was received that the Batt would be relieved by a Batt of 143 Bde”
• Taken to No 36 Casualty Clearing Station at Heilly (Halt)

  

   

• Put on Ambulance train and taken to ETAPLES for treatment.
• 5 September. Sent to 55th Infantry Base Depot in Rouen.
• 31 December. Attended Sharp Shooters Course.

1917

• 21 January. Made temp Lance Corporal. The Bn were in winter camp at BRESLE and then CERISY-BULEUX
• February-March. Into trenches at Herbecourt and then later in the month to La Maisonnette front line and back to Flaucourt. In March moved on to PERONNE then CARTIGNY and by end of March were at MARQUAIS
• 19 April. At RONNSOY near Siegfried-Stellung, the German defence line. Ordered into an attack not successful. The total casualties were heavy & as follows: 2/Lt D.W. DINWOODIE Killed. OR 9 Killed, 3 missing, 48 Wounded.

  

• 21 April. Made temp Corporal perhaps because of losses in April WD reports Total Casualties for the month of April 1917:-Killed, Officers – 1, O.R. – 22. Wounded, Officers – 2, O.R.- 82. Missing, Officers – 0, O.R. – 4
• 19 May. Promoted to Corporal
• May-July. Battalion spent time in HEBUTERNE, DEMICOURT, BIHUCOURT AND BAILLIEULMONT
• 22 July. Entrained for Flanders border .Billets at HOUTKERQUE .
• 5 August. Moved into STEENBEEK KITCHENERS WOOD just after battle for Pilkem Ridge. Several casualties sustained going in. 2 Officers Killed.
• 16-17 August . MON DU HIBOU. Attack on LANGEMARCK. CAME UNDER HEAVY MG FIRE. WD “Most of the twelve company officers became casualties in attempts to get forward.” On 17th “Another company of same battalion repeated attack at 2.30 am., gained a temporary footing, were bombed out but dug in close in front. We remained as of 16th holding a line of shell holes. Fresh losses from enemy sniping.
  
• 1-14 September. Bn spent time at ROAD CAMP ST. JAN TERBIEZEN.
• 15 September. Made Acting Sergeant and granted two weeks leave to England.
• October Bn located at CHEDDAR VILLA (Cheddar Villa was the name given by the Army to a farm on the west side of the road from Wieltje to St. Julien.)

  

• 9 October Wounded in action. GSW Back. William hit in the back by shell fragments. Wd for this day records 1casualty from seemingly a random shelling. “Strong drying wind. Battalion resting. News of attack by 144 Inf. Bde. obscure. At 4.30 pm. warning that Battalion may move forward again – by train to ADMIRAL’S ROAD – to press on the attack next morning. Commanding Officer goes to a conference at Divisional Headquarters. All ready to move. No further word.1 OR. Wounded.”
• 10 October. Admitted to 1/2 Southern Midland Field Ambulance.

  

   

• 15 October . Admitted to 53 General Hospital at Wimeriux nr Boulogne.

  

   

• 3 November. Invalided to England on Hospital Ship Jan Bredel.

  

• 31 October-27 November. Admitted to Buchanan Hospital St Leonards.

  

   

• 6 December. Discharged from care and posted to Ballyvonare Camp, Buttevant Co Cork, Southern Command Depot

1918

• 13 February. Categorised B3 at Balluvonare Camp and then on posted to the 4 Reserves of the OBLI
• 15 April. Transferred to Labour Corps (given new number 553451) and posted to 646 Agricultural Company at Cowley (Oxford) Barracks

1919

• 17 April . Discharged

Medals

Sources

• Ancestry and BFA database
• 1/4th Oxford and Bucks War Diary transcripts
• Great War Forum

After The War

Married in 1922

4 Mar 1922 • Alvescot, Oxfordshire, England
May Lilian Blundel

1939 Census

William Palmer 42 Builder’s Labourer
Lily M Palmer 38
Doris M Palmer 17
Frank A Palmer 15
Margaret Palmer 0

Death 1953

Burial

Name William Palmer Age56 Birth Year1897

Burial Date 19 Jan 1953 Burial Place Bicester, Oxfordshire

Appendix from war Diary 1916