BILL John William Garnett

Appears on the Army casualties list for Worcestershire.

The birth of John William G. Bill is registered in the March Quarter 1910 under the Stourbridge Registration District.

1911 Census
32 Summer Street, Stourbridge
John Bill, boarder, age 32, puddler ironworks, born Brierley Hill, Staffordshire
Florrie Bill, wife, age 25, married 5 years, 3 children, all still living, born Stourbridge, Worcestershire
May Bridgens, daughter, age 6, born Stourbridge, Worcestershire
George Bill, son, age 4, born Stourbridge, Worcestershire
Jack Bill, son, age 14 months, born Brierley Hill, Staffordshire
The head of the household is Florrie Bill’s father, John Bridgens.

John married Cissie M. Hall in Stourbridge in 1932.

The following information has been researched and transcribed by The Black Country Society:
John Bill enlisted in the Wiltshire Regiment and joined the 4th Battalion in the 43rd (Wessex) Division. In this Division they saw action alongside the 1st Worcesters. They landed in Normandy on the 23rd June and fought their way through the battles of the River Odon, Caen and Mont Pincon. After re-training they came back into the front line for Operation Market Garden and the capture of the Rhine bridges. The Division led the ground advance towards Arnhem in the final stages of the operation and helped to bring back many of the 1st Airborne Division on the 26th September. German counter attacks, however, increased in strength with the intention of re-taking Nijmegen. A two day battle took place near Elst, between Nijmegen and Arnhem, on the 2nd-3rd October with the Wiltshires at the centre of it. Losses were high and among those who were killed in action on the 4th October was Private John Bill.

John Bill has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Groesbeek Memorial.