William Arthur Ormerod

Lance Corporal 15388
11th Bn, East Lancashire Regiment

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register records that William was the son of Mr W.H. and Mrs E. Ormerod, of 85 High St, Rishton, Blackburn.

At the time of the 1901 Census William was living with his parents and siblings at 166 Bolton Rd, Blackburn.

The details from the census entry are as follows.

William was a member of B (Accrington & District) Company, 11th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment - the famous "Accrington Pals".

He was one of the many who were killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, and he died at some time between 1 July 1916 and 2 July 1916. William is buried in Railway Hollow Cemetery, Hébuterne, France (Grave Ref. A. 29).

He was aged 24 at the time of his death.

William is on the list of original members of the Accrington Pals that was published in the Accrington Observer & Times on 23 February 1915, when they left Accrington for active service.

He is also recorded on the Greater Accrington Roll of Honour 1914-1919, first published in the Accrington Observer & Times, 1919, and on the Rishton War Memorial, situated in Blackburn Road, Rishton.

The Index to War Deaths 1914-21 - Army (Other Ranks) records William as "Arthur Ormerod".

The Soldiers Died in the Great War Database notes that William was born in Blackburn and resided in Rishton. He enlisted in the Army in Blackburn.

	William's grave in Railway Hollow Cemetery, Hébuterne
	The memorial to the Accrington Pals in Sheffield Memorial Park, Serre
	The remains of the trenches from which the Accrington Pals launched their assault on Serre on the morning of 1 July 1916
	William's name commemorated on the war memorial at Rishton