Sapper 70076, Royal Engineers, 115th Company.
Died 29th February 1916, age 25.
Buried in Poperinghe New Military Cemetery, Belgium
Former engineering student
William was born in 1891 to William and Caroline Hanna at Whitehaven. He was educated at St. Bees School, Cumbria and entered Manchester University in 1907. William graduated with First Class Honours in Engineering in 1910 and stayed on to gain an MSc. in 1911. He then worked as an assistant engineer in the Chief Engineer’s Department of the Post Office in London.
From 1908 to 1910 William was a member of the University Officer Training Corps. During the war he enlisted with the London Regiment before joining the Royal Engineers (Air Line Section). He was killed on 29th February 1916 while serving in Belgium.