Medal Index Card
Newcastle Journal 07/11/1916
Photo : Woody with thanks
Brenda McMahon has submitted the following:-
William Humphrey Maggs was born in 1896 at 2 Low Street, Hetton-le-Hole, Durham, the son of William Charles Maggs, born 14th April 1870, baptised on the 29th May 1870 at Kilmersdon, Somerset and Alice Wood, nee Humphrey, born 14th April 1874. The couple had 5 children but two died. They were married in 1895.
The other children were Edgar born 13th February 1904 and Ethel born the 28th May 1907.
William and his father both worked in the mines. His father was a hewer and the younger William as a stone picker above ground, in 1911 the family were residing at 14 Park Terrace, Coundon Gate, Durham.
William Humphrey Maggs attested 4th September 1915, at Bishop Auckland, for the Duration of the War, and was posted to the 1/6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, [this Battalion was formed in 1908 from the old 2nd Volunteer Battalion, which was a Territorial Force battalion with headquarters in Bishop Auckland], with the service number 3293. He was living at 2 Grange View, with his parents.
Private Maggs was aged 18 years and 6 months and was 5 feet 2 inches tall.
The battalion’s part-time volunteer soldiers, were formed into four companies (named 'A', 'B', 'C', and 'D'’), which were trained at Boldon, Ravensworth, and Bensham for full-time active service overseas.
William passed his medical examination at Bishop Auckland on the 4th January 1915. On the 27th June 1915 he was embodied to serve abroad. His Battalion was now the 6/8th Composite Battalion, due to the severe casualties suffered by the 6th and the 1/8th Battalions the battalions were combined until the 1st August, when they resumed their normal identities.
The 1/8th Battalion already had embarked from Folkestone on 19th April 1915, aboard SS Onward ship number 125122. Arriving at 01.00am on Tuesday 20th April.
Onward was primarily was used as a troop transport ship for the British Expeditionary Force, on her regular route between Folkestone and Boulogne. On the 24th September 1918, she caught fire in Folkestone Harbour. The fire took hold, and was only contained by the opening of her seacocks in order to prevent the pier catching fire. This resulted in the scuttling of the vessel; she turned over onto her port side, and was subsequently hauled upright by a team of five steam locomotives in harness.
They were eventually billeted at Saint Marie Capelle, very near to the town of Cassel, where the Headquarters of the Second French Army under Marshal Foch was located.
William was at the 35th Infantry Base Depot, before being posted to the 1/6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry from the 68th Training Field Depot 29th November. On the 11th December 1915 he was evacuated sick to the 1/3rd Northumbrian Field Ambulance with scabies, then at La Creche. The 1/3rd Northumbrian Field Ambulance was one of three field ambulances from the 50th (Northumberland) Infantry Division.
William returned to the unit in the field 14th December 1915.
1st October 1916, William was wounded at the Battle of Transloy Ridge, one of the battles of the Somme campaign. The war diary for the day reads : - For the attack 151st Brigade consisted of 1/6th Durham Light Infantry, (a composite Battalion made up of 1/5th Border Regiment and 1/8th Durham Light infantry), and 1/5th Northumberland Fusiliers, {attached from 49th Brigade}. The 1/6th Durhams, suffering in the wake of 1/17th London's lack of success, had their right flank exposed and only gained a footing in Flers Trench. Their commanding officer was wounded and so 1/9th Durhams, who were in support, came up and rallied the front troops, and by 9.30pm elements of both Battalions had secured Flers Tench.
He was taken to the 1/3rd Northumbrian Field Ambulance on 2nd October before being transferred to a Casualty Clearing Station. He had received a gun shot wound to his shoulder and was sent to the 5th General Hospital at Rouen on the 4th October before leaving for the UK.
Newcastle Journal Tuesday 07/11/1916, listed William as wounded.
He returned to France via Boulogne, from Folkestone on the 4th January 1917 and was located at Etaples.
On the 2nd March 1917 William was posted to the 1/5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry from the 74th Training Field Depot at Etaples. William was given a new service number 295065.
He joined the battalion in the field the following day. On the 23rd April 1917, William was wounded severely with a gun shot wound to his left wrist and forearm. Transferred to the 3rd Stationary Hospital based at Rouen, eventually being shipped to the UK on the H.M.H.S. Aberdonian ship number 127164.
William was recovering in the Sherborne Red Cross hospital for 130 days. For 10 days he was given leave, and was issued a rail warrant to visit his family from the 5th September to the 14th September 1917. On the 14th September he was in hospital at Ripon, with a problem with his left forearm, he was there until the 2nd November 1917. He was now based at Ripon. On the 30th September 1917 he was absent without leave for 4 days eventually arriving back on the 3rd October 1917 at 6.30am. He was deducted 5 days pay, confined to Barracks for 8 days, then on the 13th October he was again absent without leave for 1 day and this time he was admonished. Soon afterwards he was arrested by the Military Police at Kirkgate, Ripon town centre. 28 days detention was the result of his bad behaviour this time.
William was transferred to the 1/8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in Company 'A' 2nd January 1918.
He was wounded in the left thigh by a gun shot wound and was sent to no 6 General Hospital at Rouen where he died of his wounds 29th March 1918.
His personal items including letters, photos, cards, diary, religious book, purse, electric lamp and 2 letter cases were returned to his family.
William is buried at St Sever Cemetery Extension Rouen. His father added the following to his headstone :- 'When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O Abide with me.'
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
In 1939 his parents were living at 56 North Bondgate, Bishop Auckland, and William Charles was a caretaker for a Solicitor's office. His sister Ethel married in 1938 Thomas William Wade, and was in Domestic Service at Glenton Hall, West Auckland in 1939. His brother Edgar married Elsie Oliver in 1929, born 15th November 1906, and they had one child. In 1939 they were living at 10 Hallgarth Street, Durham, and Edgar was in the ARP as a Decontamination driver.
William Charles Maggs died September 1956 and Alice Maggs died in 1950.
William Humphrey Maggs is remembered at Auckland Park on A42.01 and at Coundon on C117.01
He is also remembered at Durham in the DLI Book of Remembrance page 66 and in the Battalion History
