William Richard Hornby was born in Wavertree, Liverpool, in the spring of 1897, the only son of Robert Wilson Hornby and his wife Jane (née Ellwood). His parents, both born in Westmorland, married in Toxteth in 1892. William was the middle of five children and the only son: Annie born in 1893 died in infancy, Dorothy 1895, Edith 1899, and Mabel 1906 died at age 2.
William was baptised in Holy Trinity, Wavertree, on 26th May 1897, his parents living at 21 Wells Street and his father’s occupation carter.
In 1901 the family is still at 21 Wells Street, Wavertree, with three children, his father is a carter for bottling stores, William is 3.
By 1911 they have moved to 4 Wesley Place, Wavertree. His father, 41, is in the same job, his mother is 37. They advise that they have been married for 18 years and have had five children, two of whom have died. Those children listed in the househlod are; Dorothy 15, at school, William Rc 13, at school and also employed as a tailor’s boy, and Edith is 11.
As his service record has not survived, the full details are not known, but the War Gratuity, based on rank and length of service, suggests that William enlisted in June 1915, about the time he would have turned 18; he evidently lied about his age in order to serve overseas. He enlisted in Liverpool in the 2/5th Bn, King’s (Liverpool) Regiment. The service record of Pte 201532 Thomas Lane exists and he attested Liverpool on the 05th June 1915 to 5th KLR
It is not known when William was transferred to the 14th Bn, but the 14th landed at Boulogne in September 1915, and moved to Salonika in November 1915. The battalion fought at the Battles of Horshoe Hill and Machukovo in 1916 and at Doiran in 1917. In June 1918 they transferred from the Mediterranean Theatre, embarking at Itea in Greece, disembarking at Taranto, Italy, and then to the Western Front. In August 1918 the battalion was absorbed by the 18th Bn K.L.R., becoming the 18th (Lancashire Hussars) King’s (Liverpool) Regiment.
The Hundred Days Offensive, the Allied push which would eventually end the war, begins on 8th August, 1918.
On 7th October 1918 the 18th Bn arrives at the Hindenberg Line at Bony. From the battalion War Diary:
10th October 1918 - At 0230 hours the battalion moved forward to a position near RUEMONT, and attacked towards LE CATEAU at 0510. Very little opposition was met with at the start but later considerable M.G. fire was encountered. … Our right company was not in touch with the flank, and the troops on the right appeared to be held up by M.G. fire from the railway embankment … A short length of trench on the high ground immediately E. of LE CATEAU was also reported to be held by the enemy. At 0848 the Centre Coy reached K.33.b and pushed a platoon into the N. W. outskirts of LE CATEAU. The right company was temporarily held up by MG and sniper fire, but appeared to be almost in the town itself. Hostile M.G. fire was reported from the direction of Q.10. … Houses in K.28.a were reported to be strongly held by the Bosche, and a patrol was sent out to investigate and deal with them. … During the advance on LE CATEAU considerable difficulty was experienced, owing to a “whizz bang” battery being able to fire over open sights at the troops as they moved up the rise and along a slight valley.
Total Casualties 7th - 13th October:
Killed - 2 Officers, 18 O.R.
Wounded - 6 Officers, 111 O.R.
Died of a Wounds 1 O.R.
Wounded and Missing - 1 Officer, 20 O.R.
William was declared Missing on 10th October 1918 and his death later assumed for official purposes as having occurred on that date.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
The Vis en Artois Memorial bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8 August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave.
The memorial was designed by J.R. Truelove, with sculpture by Ernest Gillick. It was unveiled by the Rt. Hon. Thomas Shaw on 4 August 1930.
His parents, living at 24 Long Lane, Wavertree, received his effects of £28-6-1d, and were eligible for a War Gratuity of £19-10s, and a pension (amount unspecified on pension card). His parents later moved to Yealand Conyers, near Carnforth, Lancashire, living at Leighton Hall Lodge. A note dated 15/8/1938 on the pension card records that Dorothy Griffiths (his married sister) is a “nominee”.
His father died in 1935 aged 65.
His mother died in the December quarter of 1952, aged 78.
William is commemorated on the Trinity School Roll of Honour, Wavertree.
