William Brackner
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
His father, George, was born in Blidworth in about 1857 and his mother was born Sarah Ann Burdett, the daughter of a well known local bricklayer. They married in Nottingham in August 1871. Sarah had been previously married (to Thomas Thorpe) and widowed and brought two children to her new marriage. By the time of the 1901 census the family were living at 8 Broughton Street, Beeston with George senior working as a bricklayer for the Midland Railway. The couple had by then, had seven children of their own - six of them boys - all of them of school age except the oldest, their only daughter Alice Lavinia who was working as a lace mender. Also present was the children's half sister, Mary Thorpe and her baby daughter. Two brothers George (25/10/1915 died of illness) and (John William 31/5/1918) were also killed in action.
13907 William Brackner served firstly with the 9th battalion Sherwood Foresters and attested on 31 August 1914 in Nottingham aged 21 years and 26 days. He was 5 feet 9 inches in height. He enlisted on the same day as his brother George who died of illness on Gallipoli. William was posted to the battalion on 9 September 1914 and after training the battalion embarked for Gallipoli on 1 July 1915. He survived the battalions first major battles on Gallipoli at Suvla but was struck down with Dysentery and invalided home. He was admitted to the Duchess of Connaught's Red Cross Hospital at Clivedon on the 7th September 1915. By November 1915 he had recovered from his illness and was then posted to the 3rd Battalion, and on 9th May 1916 he was posted to the 1st Battalion joining 'B' Company, Platoon in France. On 27 December 1916 he was promoted to Corporal. On the 14th April 1917 he was wounded yet again and, by 21st November, he was back in England suffering from shell shock. Less than a month later he had returned to the front. His promotion to Sergeant came on 27 March 1918. Sergeant William Brackner was reported as missing believed killed when the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters were retiring on Montagne De Guyencourt during the first day of the Aisne/Chemin Des Dames battle which lasted from the 27th May - 6th June 1918.
When pay book was returned to Lichfield it had - Owner fallen and buried by Bouvancourt Pevy Road (West Of Rheims). His grave must have been lost later. Soldiers Died in the Great War - Brackner William, born Beeston Nott's, enlisted Nottingham, abode Beeston Nott's, 13907, Sgt, killed in action, France and Flanders, 27/5/1918. Between 14 and 25 March 1916 he was on a course at Whitley Bay and qualified on range finding.
