Private William H. Fisher, 17206, 3rd Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
William Hellewell Fisher was born in Ossett on the 14th November 1888 and baptised at South Ossett Christ Church on the 14th April 1889. He was the only son of cloth fuller Charles Edward Fisher and his wife Mary Ann (nee McGuire) who married in summer 1889. The couple had two children from their marriage with a daughter, Hannah Mary being born in 1899.
In 1891, Ossett-born Charles Edward was living on Horbury Road, Ossett with his Horbury-born wife, Mary Ann and their two year-old son, William Hellewell Fisher. By 1901, the family had moved to Oakes Street, Flanshaw, where in 1911, Charles Edward was working as a cloth scourer and his son William was a boot repairer.
William Hellewell Fisher’s army service record has not survived but it is known that he enlisted at Wakefield and joined the 9th Battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry with regimental service number 17206. He embarked for France on the 11th September 1915 and was subsequently posthumously awarded the 1914/15 Star in addition to the British and Victory medals.
The 9th (Service) Battalion of K.O.Y.L.I. was formed at Pontefract in September 1914 as part of K3 and came under command of 64th Brigade in 21st Division. They moved to Berkhamsted and then to Halton Park (Tring) in October 1914, going on to billets in Maidenhead in November the same year. They returned to Halton Park in April 1915 and went on to Witley in August. In September 1915 they landed in France.
After Private Fisher was injured and returned to England, he was transferred to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, perhaps because of the severity of his injuries.
The 3rd (Reserve) Battalion of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was formed in August 1914 at Pontefract as depot/training unit. The Battalion moved on mobilisation to Hull and then to Withernsea in April 1916, on to Hedon in October 1916. Pocklington in June 1918 and finally Patrington in August 1918, as part of Humber Garrison. The 3rd (Reserve) Battalion of K.O.Y.L.I. served entirely within the U.K.
The "Ossett Observer" had this obituary for William Fisher in November 1917:
"Ossett Soldier Killed at Hull - Private William H. Fisher (28) of the K.O.Y.L.I. whose home was at Flanshaw near Wakefield, and who had been in business as a shoemaker in Ossett, has been accidentally killed in Hull, to which place he had been sent after being wounded in France. It seems that while crossing a road in Hull, Private Fisher was knocked down by a military motor transport wagon, and died in hospital two days later. At a subsequent inquest, a jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death" and exonerated the driver of the vehicle from blame.
The body of the deceased was conveyed to his home, and the funeral, which took place in Alverthorpe, was accorded full military honours. In forwarding to the deceased's parents, the sympathy of officers and men of the company which deceased was attached, the commanding officer said that Private Fisher was one of the best members of his company, and very popular. His parents used to live in South Ossett."
His injuries were incurred fighting in France in 1916 and he died in the Royal Infirmary, Hull on the 5th November 1917. He was not remembered on any Ossett Memorial or Roll of Honour probably because he and his family left Ossett in the 1890s.
He is remembered in this updated/corrected 2023 biography and Roll of Honour because the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and/or the U.K. Soldiers who Died in the Great War 1914-1918 listing records him as born or residing in Ossett.
Private William Hellewell Fisher, son on of the late Charles E. and Mary A. Fisher was wounded in France in 1916 and subsequently died from the result of a road accident at Hull on the 5th November 1917, aged 28 years. He is buried at grave reference Q.542 (North East) in Alverthorpe (St. Paul) Churchyard,1 Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
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