William John Board
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
William John Board (junior) was born in Cardiff in 1899 the eldest son of William John Board (senior) a Solicitor and Town Clerk, his mother was Ada Board née Parfitt the family moved to Nottingham. His father William John Board (senior) was born in 1870 in Cardiff and his mother Ada Parfitt was born in Monmouthshire, they were married in 1895 in Pontypool and went on to have the following children, William John b1899 Cardiff, Ada Constance b1903, Cardiff, Hugh Parfitt b1903 Cardiff, Bernard George b1905 Rotherham, Betty Gweneth b1906 Weston Super Mare. In the 1911 census the family are residing at Rookwood, Don Road, Rotherham and are shown as Wiliam John Board 41 yrs a solicitor and town clerk, he is living with his wife Ada 41 yrs and their children, Hugh Parfitt 8 yrs a scholar, Bernard George 6 yrs a scholar, and Betty Gweneth 5 yrs. In the same 1911 census William John is not at home, he is shown as being 12 yrs and a pupil at Woodfield House, Wolverley near Kidderminster.
Second Lieutenant William John Board, received a commission into the Royal Field Artillery in March 1918, just after his 19th birthday, and was in a reserve battalion in Ireland. In August 1918 he was sent to Salonika with 130th Brigade Ammunition Column, attached 31st Brigade Royal Field Artillery. He was mortally wounded in the 3rd Battle of Doiran, which was launched four days before his death. He suffered gunshot wounds on 18th September 1918 while taking ammunition up to the fighting line and died four days later. He was still 19 years old. He is buried in Sarigol Military Cemetery, Kriston, (grave ref A.128)
CWGC headstone, personal inscription: 'In ever loving memory of our dear son He giveth his beloved sleep.' Inscription on board in the chapel at St Jude's church: 'The Holy table in this chapel was placed here by his parents in ever loving memory of William John Board Second Lieutenant RFA who died of wounds at Salonica on 22nd September 1918, aged 19 years. 'To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna'' [KJV: Revelation 2.17] Nottingham Corporation minutes of council meeting 7 October 1918: Council’s motion of sympathy to the Town Clerk … on the death of his son, Second Lieutenant WJ Board RFA while on service in the Balkan Peninsular. Article published on 2nd October 1918 in the Nottingham Journal and Express :- “TOWN CLERK ON NOTTINGHAM BEREAVED. “News was received in Nottingham yesterday [1st October 1918] by the Town Clerk and Mrs. W. J. Board that their eldest son, Sec.-Lieut. W. J. Board, R.F.A., died in Salonika Hospital on 22 September, from wounds received on 18 September. “Sec.-Lieut. Board, who attained his 19th birthday in March, left England early in August, reaching Salonika about a month ago. “He was educated at Wolverley School, Worcestershire, and Oundle, serving two years in the O.T.C. at the latter. Early last year he joined the Nottingham University College O.T.C. where, under Capt. Trotman, he attained the rank of sergeant. His subsequent training with the R.F.A. was at Weedon and Lark Hill, Salisbury Plain. He received his commission in March last and was attached to a reserve brigade in Ireland until proceeding overseas.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 He is further commemorated on the Oundle School, Northampton, war memorial
