| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
William James Denton Milson was born in Beverley in 1890, the second of six children born to William Carr, a shoemaker who also served in the Army and Ann Maria Milson.
William, from information provided by the Green Howards Regimental HQ confirms that in 1904, at the age of 14 years 7 months, and just under 5 ft tall, William joined the Yorkshire Regiment as a regular soldier. In the 1911 census he is shown, aged 21, serving with 1st Infantry Battalion as a Drummer, and there are several photographs of him in uniform prior to the war, taken in India and Egypt and one in Apr 1914, at his sister Mabel's wedding.
William served in France from 23 Jun 1915, with the 2nd Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment, and he was awarded the British War, Victory and 15 Star Medals. He was also awarded the Distinguised Conduct Medal for conspicuous gallantry in Nov 1915.
The citation stated that: "He organised a rescue party under heavy shell fire and supervised and assisted in rescue work regardless of continuous sniping."
He was injured on 1st Jul 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, while taking part in the assault to capture Montauban, and died on 4 Jul 1916, aged 26. He is buried in the Corbie Communal Cemetery Extension, and is commemorated on the Beverley War Memorial in Hengate.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |