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William Russ Died 28th April 1917
William was born in November 1888 in Binfield, Berkshire to father, Thomas and mother Eliza. He was the second of five brothers, plus a baby sister, Elsie. Thomas was a carter on a farm in 1901 and in 1911 William was a gardener in Badgemore House, Henley. William was to spend a number of years in Henley and married there, to Agnes Willgos. Thomas and Eliza were to lose two sons, both William and Ernest the fifth son. They were to die less than four months apart.
William joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry, 2nd Royal Marine Battalion, Royal Navy Division. During World War I, in addition to their usual stations aboard ship, Royal Marines were part of the Royal Naval Division which landed in Belgium in 1914 to help defend Antwerp and later took part in the amphibious landing at Gallipoli in 1915. It also served on the Western Front in the trenches. During April and May 1917, the British launched the Arras offensive and William fell during this period on 28th April, 1917.
Name: RUSS, WILLIAM HENRY
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Royal Marine Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd R.M. Bn. R.N. Div.
Date of Death: 28/04/1917
Service No: CH/1710(S)
Grave/Memorial Reference: Bay 1. Memorial: ARRAS MEMORIAL
The Royal Navy Records presents us with the following information:
Name: William Henry Russ
Rank: Pte
Birth Date: 6 Nov 1894
Birth Place: Wokingham, Berkshire, England
Branch of Service: Royal Marine Light Infantry
Cause of Death: Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action
Official Number Port Division: Ch/1710 (S)
Death Date: 28 Apr 1917
Ship or Unit: 2nd Royal Marines Battalion Royal Naval Division
Location of Grave: Not recorded
Name and Address of Cemetery: No Information Received As To Location of Grave
Relatives Notified and Address: Widow: Mrs Russ c/o Mr Willgos Crocker End, Nettlebed, Henley-on-Thames
Badgemore House, Henley, Oxon.
84, Westcott Rd., Wokingham, Berks. (mother 1921)
There is an anomaly in the records, where although we have an official birth record for 1889, his Naval records says he was born in 1894. We have not however found a William Russ born in Wokingham in 1894 or thereabouts. All the census records also point to a birth of 1888/9. Also, the CWGC and the Naval records are connected, first by the same service number and also by point of William’s wife, Agnes, after his death, was living with a ‘Mr Willgos’. Before her marriage Agnes was Agnes Willgos, therefore this being her father or brother.
Andrew Radgick, who is researching the first world war fallen around the Easthampstead area, contributes with the following information:
William Russ
On the National Archives website, there is a service record available to download (cost £3.50) for William Henry Russ (R.M.L.I., service number 1710); the birth date is given as November 1888.