William Cole
Memorial: Old Sodbury - St John the Baptist Church
Regiment: Rifle Brigade
Medals: British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Private S/27893
Parents: William and Alice (Nee Edwards) Cole
Marital status: Single
Home address: Coombes End Road, Old Sodbury
Pre-war occupation: Road Labourer for county council
Date of birth: 1883
Place of birth: Old Sodbury
Date of death: 20/09/1917
Buried/Commemorated at: No Known Grave – Commemorated Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium
Age: 33
Further information:
On the 1911 Census, William lived with his widowed mother. The 1891 and 1901 Census recorded that he also lived alone with her in Old Sodbury. William had two older sisters Annie and Martha, who by 1891 had already left home. Alice died in 1920 and his father had died in 1885 aged 36.
William served with the 10th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (formerly 29769 Gloucestershire Regiment) and died on 20/09/1917 (Missing presumed killed in action).
William Cole is mentioned on both the Old Sodbury, St John's Church memorial and the Chipping Sodbury and District Memorial Cottage Hospital board, now at Yate and District Heritage Centre, under Old Sodbury
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
Yate and District Heritage Centre.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Findmypast (Soldiers Died during the Great War, 1901 & 1911 Census etc), Researcher John Davis.