ANDERTON William

William Anderton was not a Blockley man, perhaps never a resident of the village, although a sister and perhaps other members of the family lived in the village at around the time of WW1. William was born in 1891 in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, probably at nearby Lemington where the family was living. In 1901 he was at home in Moreton with his mother Ruth and three younger siblings who had all been born in Ireland. It has been difficult to trace Ruth’s background. She was born in Christchurch, Hampshire, and may have married a son of William Anderton who had been born in Aston Magna, but the records are not clear. This son has not yet been traced.

The family, including John, has not been found in 1911, except for younger sister Rose, 15, who was living in Blockley in service to head-teacher Edgar Wyatt.

William’s personal military documents have not survived but there are other records. He was a private in the 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment. This battalion deployed to Gallipoli in March of 1915, where William joined them in October 1915. The battalion was evacuated to Egypt in January 1916 and deployed thence to France in March of that year.

William must have been a volunteer, probably in the spring of 1915, as conscription was not introduced until 1916. The Hampshire Regiment was presumably his choice, and recalls the county in which his mother was born. He was unmarried and divided his effects between his mother, who had remarried (now Mrs Gibson), and his sister Rose.

The only known association with Blockley was the presence of his sister Rose in the village in 1911, and perhaps through his father-in-law. It may be that members of the family came to live in Blockley during or after the war, thus explaining the placing of the inscription on the war memorial.

From the Medal Index Cards and Regimental Medals Rolls:
William Anderton
2nd/Hampshire Regiment, Private, 11733
British and Victory medals, 1915 Star,
Balkans, 5/10/15
Died of wounds

From Soldiers Effects:
William Anderton
2nd Battalion Hants Regiment, Private, 11733
Died 9/8/1916 at 87 Field Ambulance
3 pounds 10s 8d plus 8 shillings to mother Ruth Gibson
3 pounds 10s 7d plus 8 shillings to sister Rose
War Gratuity 9 pounds to mother Ruth Gibson