William Horace Vickers

William Horace Vickers was born in 1895 in Lenton and was the son of the late Arthur Vickers a boot and shoe maker and Mary Jane Vickers née Franklin of 61a Willoughby Street, Lenton . His father Arthur was born in 1860 Sneinton and his mother Mary Jane Franklin was born in 1861 in Nottingham, they were married in 1879 in Radford, they went on to have 10 children sadly 4 of whom died in infancy or early childhood, their surviving children were Ada b1880, Edith b1886. Henrietta b1887 Lilli b1890, Alfred b1892 and William Horace b1895, all of whom were born in Lenton His father Arthur died in 1910 aged 49 yrs in Nottingham. In the 1911 census the family are living at 61a Willoughby Street Lenton Nottingham and are shown as Mary Jane 50 yrs a widow a cop winder in the cotton industry, she is living with her children Lily 21 yrs also a cop winder in the cotton industry, Alfred 19 yrs a hairdresser and Wiliam Horace 16 yrs an apprentice fitter

Apprentice fitter lace machinery

William Horace Vickers entered theatre on 25 October 1915. After serving in Gallipoli and Egypt, the battalion moved to France and Arras. In August 1916 they moved to the Somme to take part in the Battle of Thiepval, 26/29th September 1916. On 26th, the battalion had taken all of its objectives although some battalions had not made the third line and some enemy still occupied the same trench as 9th battalion. During the night of 26th the enemy was very active sniping and collected in some numbers in the right end of Hessian Trench. All day on 27th a battle for dominance of Hessian took place and at some stage William was killed. William was buried initially in Nab Road cemetery but after the Armistice his remains were re-interred in Lonsdale Cemetery Authuile (grave reference: X.G.3).

His brother Private Alfred Vickers enlisted at Nottingham he served with the 2/7th battalion Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire) Regiment. He was killed in action on 23rd April 1917 and is buried in Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery (grave reference: I.C.11). CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Safe in the arms of Jesus' Notices of his death published 25th October 1916 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “VICKERS. – Killed in action, September 27th, Signaller William Horace Vickers, aged 21. I miss him and mourn him in silence unseen, and think of the happiness that might have been. – From his sorrowing fiancée, mother and sister. “VICKERS. – Killed in action, September 27th, 1916, Signaller W. H. Vickers, Sherwood Foresters, of 61a, Willoughby-street, age 21 years. Sleep on beloved, and take thy rest, you always tried to do your best, you answered country's call, and a brave hero you did fall. A noble life laid down. – From his sorrowing mother, sisters Edith and Lily, Ada and Hettie (in Australia), and brother Alf (in Ireland).” In memoriam notices published in the Nottingham Evening Post dated 27th September 1917 : - “VICKERS. – In loving memory of Signaller William Horace Vickers, killed in action September 27th, 1916. Far away from those who loved him, comrades laid him down to rest; a noble hero, true and brave, peacefully sleeps in a soldier's grave. – From his loving mother, sisters Edith and Lily. “VICKERS. – In loving memory of our dear brother, Signaller William Horace Vickers, killed in action September 27th, 1916. A young life, full of promise, sacrificed on the altar of duty. Asleep in Jesus, far from thee, thy kindred and their graves may be; but thine is still a blessed sleep, from which none ever wake to week. – Inserted by his loving sisters Ada and Hettie (Australia).” Notices courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Nottingham Evening Post, ‘1914-1918’, 27 September 1935: ‘Vickers. In loving memory of William, killed September 27th, 1916. Mother and sisters.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)