WORLD WAR I
Bingham War Memorial
Service Record
| 28417 | Private William Singleton | 17th Bn., Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) | Born 1877 |
| Killed in action on 03/09/1916 – the same day as Sgt WH Barratt. | Buried at
Serre Road Cemetery No2 Grave ref: XIX. C. 11.  Photo NCC Roll of Honour web site |
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| 1916 Regimental war diary |
William Singleton served with the 17th Battalion Sherwood Foresters. On 3rd September the battalion took part in the 2nd Somme Offensive near Beaumont Hamel. The Foresters occupied the first line of trenches but could not move onto the 2nd line of trenches as it was strongly held with machine guns. Casualties were very heavy and by early evening the battalion was forced to withdraw. It was during this attack that William Singleton and Sgt. Barratt were killed. | ||
| Taken from “On the Welbeck Rangers by Mike Briggs” | The Welbeck Rangers moved into trenches south of Beaumont-Hamel
on the 2nd September and attacked the following morning at 5am. 20 Officers
and 650 other ranks went into action, capturing the German Front line before
being held up at the second by heavy machine gun fire. They suffered over
450 casualties before being withdrawn that evening to Mailly-Maillet. Their
sister Battalion, the Chatsworth Rifles, provided carrying parties during
the assault and also suffered their own share of casualties. The move up to the front line trenches was complete by 10.12 p.m. on the 2nd and assembly of the Bn in No Man’s Land was complete by zero hour. No casualties were reported for this phase of the operation. The leading ("A" Coy) had taken the German front line by 6 a.m., but with heavy casualties and reinforcements were at once requested. One Officer and about 30 men succeeded in making it to the German second line but were forced to retire due to the lack of support. The following day the O.C. 17 Bn Sherwood Foresters provided a rough estimate of the casualties suffered during the advance into the German front line:- "A" Company, about 50%; "B" Company, about 75%; "C" Company, about 50%; "D" Company was split between different waves to protect the flanks. For more details click here. |
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| CWGC | No family details available | ||
| Register of Effects |
William’s back pay of £3.3s.1d. was paid to his father on 4th May 1918 | His War Gratuity of £4.0.0. was divided between his
siblings, 13s 4d each to James, John, Henry, Thomas, Eliza and Annie Hunt. This implies his father died between May 1918 and January 1920 and also that his brother George had died. Free BMD suggests John died in December 1918 at Bingham. |
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Family history etc
| 28417 | Private William Singleton | ||
| 1876 | John Singleton married Sarah Brewster, 18/09/1876 | ||
| 1877 | William born Bingham | ||
| Census 1881 | Living at Spring Gardens, Long Acre, Bingham with: Father: John Singleton, b 1853 Car Colston Mother: Sarah, b 1855 Bingham Brothers: John, b 1879 Bingham James, b 1880 Bingham And: Aunt Eliza Brewster,15 |
Warehouseman General domestic servant |
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| Census 1891 |
Living in Pickford’s Yard, Nottingham with: Father: John [census says born in Bingham] Mother: Sarah Siblings: John James George, b 1883 Bingham Harry, b 1888 Bingham Annie, b 1890 Nottingham ister Sarah had been born in Bingham 1885 and died 1887 |
Working as Lad at a paper Mill Flour carter |
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| Census 1901 |
Living at Island Court, Nottingham with: Father: John Mother: Sarah Siblings: George Harry, Annie, Tom, b 1892 Nottingham Eliza, b 1900 Nottingham |
Working as Flour carter Flour carter Flour carter |
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| Census 1911 |
No records | ||
| 2012 | Newark Advertiser, 6 September 2012: Article about the addition of the name of Pte William Singleton, 17th Bn (Welbeck Rangers) Sherwood Foresters, to the war memorial. Some family details included in the article. |
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