De Ruvigny Roll of Honour Vol 1 page 228
Medal Index Card
William Eric Little was born in Whitley Bay on the 12th October 1896, he was the second son of William Little of Nile House, Whitley Bay, Northumberland, Tea Dealer and Provision Merchant, with his wife Annie, daughter of the late W. Aynsley of Consett J.P. They had seven children, but two of them had died.
Ethel, a day School Teacher, born 1892, John Maurice, born 1898, Richard, born 1901 and Ainsley born 1891. Ainsley was in the Australian Armed forces, and he also was killed.
William was educated at the Park County Council School at Mariner Road, then Rutherford College at Newcastle. The family in 1911 were residing at 55 Nile House, Percy Road, Whitley Bay, the same location where his father's business was based. The family had employed a servant Ellen Laudreth who was aged 21 in 1911.
He passed his examinations for the Civil Service and was appointed to the National Health Insurance Office, London.
William joined the Civil Service Rifles in September 1914, was sent to France on the 17th March 1915. He died in St Omer Hospital (10th Stationery Hospital), on the 6th April 1915, of cerebo-spinal menin gitis. He was unmarried.
"The 17th of March 1915, is a significance date for Civil Service Riflemen. It is a Wednesday, St Patrick's Day, the same day they embarked for France. After being announced on the 15th March by a Captain Parish that they were leaving for France, it was amongst loud cheering.
The Battalion left Watford early by train for Southampton, where they were embarked onto four ships, Balmoral, City of Chester, Jupiter and Munich.
After a smooth crossing they arrived at Le Havre the following morning."
On the 22nd March, Field Marshal Sir John French with General Haig, inspected he battalion. 'The men are splendid'.
His lieutenant wrote:-Your son was a good soldier and did his duty, and I personally am very sorry to lose him. He was always in the leading four in my platoon, and I use to love his merry face. He died as a soldier: he was ready, and that is all a soldier can do.
De Ruvigny Roll of Honour
He is remembered in Whitley Bay on W84.01, W84.10, W84.28 and in W84.30, on page 21, also in Newcastle on NUT070 and in NUT126 on page 22
