YATES, William

William Yates was born in Stourbridge and later lived with his parents in King Street, Wollaston. In 1914 he was married and had moved away to 214 Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry, and was working as a master painter. He enlisted in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps and joined the 16th (Service) Battalion. This battalion fought in the 1916 Battle of the Somme and at Third Ypres in 1917. They remained on the Passchendaele ridge during the winter of early 1918 and during the first German Spring offensive of March, but when the next German attack in Flanders started on the 9th April they moved south towards the fighting. As soon as the German Sixth Army had broken through, they were ordered to the front and took up position at Neuve Eglise. On April 13th the Germans advanced on the village in force. In the attempt to retire many of the KRRC were taken prisoner, wounded or killed in action. Lance Corporal William Yates was one of the many who died on the 14th April at Neuve Eglise. Eventually, the advance of the German troops came to a halt and the brave defence of the KRRC contributed to the wearing down of the enemy impetus. William Yates was 30 years of age and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert, Stourbridge and Wollaston Memorials.