In Sunderland (Southwick) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of:-
3134602 Lance Corporal
W. Willis
Royal Scot Fusiliers
4th August 1941 Age 27
He sleeps
where all is peace
and sorrows are unknown
The son of Robert and Jessie Ann Willis, of Southwick, Sunderland.
Derek Haynes has supplied the following:-
William was born on the 31st August 1914 in the registration district of Sunderland, the son of Robert and Jessie Ann Willis (nee Drever). Originally from Scotland Robert and Jessie married in 1904 in Thurso, Scotland, being unable to find them on the 1911 census in England it would appear they came to England between 1911 and William’s birth in 1914. I can confirm that William had an elder brother George (born 8th November 1905), more detailed research would be needed (in Scotland) to see if there are any other children from the marriage.
The dates of birth for George and William are taken from the 1939 Register, there are errors on this register it would be advisable to check that these dates are accurate.
On the 13th March 1927 William’s father Robert aged 64 years died at the family home in Southwick and was laid to rest on the 16th March in Section B Grave no. 517 of Southwick Cemetery.
In 1939 prior to enlisting in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, William aged 25 years was employed as a Shop Assistant. He was residing at 26 Nelson Street, Southwick with his widowed mother and elder brother George W. D. Willis.
It is not known when William enlisted and given the service number 3134602 as his Army personnel records are unavailable.
Information taken from the website www.forces-war-records.co.uk tells us that in September 1939 the Battalion returned to the UK from India. Then on the 14th July 1940 it became one of the four Battalions that formed the 29th Independent Infantry Brigade Group. It became attached to Force 121 as the British Expeditionary Group for deployment overseas on combined operations.
The Royal Scots were training in June and August 1941 in Inveraray on the west coast of Scotland. Inveraray was used as the No. 1 Combined Training Centre its key role was to train personnel in the latest technique of small landing amphibious warfare. During training live ammunition was used to give the men an idea of what it would be like to be under fire when faced with the enemy. It was not unknown for injuries and deaths to occur while training. (www.combinedops.com)
Sadly Lance Corporal William Willis died on the 4th August 1941 in Inveraray Hospital, was William killed on exercise? without access to his personnel records, we do not know.
On the 6th and 7th August 1941 William’s mother placed a death announcement in the Roll of Honour section in the local newspaper the Sunderland Echo, this read:
At a military hospital in August 1941, William Willis (of Royal Scots Fusiliers) beloved son of Jessie Ann and the late Robert Willis of 26 Nelson Street, Southwick, internment Southwick Cemetery on Friday, cortege leaving residence 1.15 p.m. for service in Methodist Church, The Green. Deeply mourned.
On Friday the 8th August 1941 William was laid to rest in Section B. Grave no. 517 of Southwick Cemetery. A CWGC headstone marks his final resting place.
A year after William’s death his mother Jessie would place the following announcement in the Sunderland Echo:
Treasured memories of my dear son Lance Corporal William Willis, who died on active service August 4, 1941. Ever remembered by his mother, brothers George and Walter and sisters in law Nance and Kitty.
Jessie resided in the same house up until her death at the age of 80; she was laid to rest in the same plot as her husband and son on the 20th August 1953, twelve years after the death of her beloved son.
William Willis is remembered at Southwick on S130.22 and in Peter Gibson’s Book.
