| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information
William was born in Beverley the 1 Sep 1886, one of eight children born to Harry Fortes and his wife Mary (nee Spencer). They married at St Mary’s Church, Beverley in 1873. Harry was originally from Suffolk and worked as a labourer. Mary was originally from Derby. The family was living in Providence Row (Wilbert Lane) in 1891, then Mill Lane and later at Clark’s Place, off Wilbert Lane. On leaving school William became a labourer.
William had joined the regular army at Victoria Barracks, Beverley in 1903 and served in India before returning to Europe, arriving in France on the 23 Oct 1914. He was in action at Parride Hill near Armentieres on the Franco-Belgian border on 28 Oct 1914. Alongside him in the successful repulse of a large German attack was his brother, Sergeant Tom Fortes both serving in the 1st Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment. Tom was killed in the action.
William served throughout the war he remained a private and continued in regular service into the post-war period. He later served in the 7th, 10th and 11th Battalions of the East Yorkshire Regiment. He was awarded the 1914 Star and the Victory and War medals. Right at the end of the war, he was transferred to the Royal Engineers and served as a sapper. On 3 Sep 1918 before the transfer he won the Distinguished Conduct Medal, according to his citation it was “for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty” and “when taken prisoner, this man had seized a rifle from one of the escort, killed three and brought the fourth man back to the lines. After handing over the prisoner, he returned to his company and fought splendidly throughout the battle.”
In late summer 1907 at Shorncliffe Camp near Folkestone, he married Edith Lawrence, born in Chislehurst, Kent in 1885, daughter of a nurseryman. They had one child, Cyril, born in 1917. After leaving the army William worked at Bulford Camp on Salisbury Plain as a labourer. He died in that area aged 83 in 1969. His wife had died in 1955.
Includes information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |