The son of Richard and Edith Norris, William, a regular soldier, had enlisted at Bognor into the Hampshire Regiment at age 18 on the 11th August 1908. Prior to that, his occupation had been ‘gardener’. His enlistment document shows he signed for 7 years in the Army and 5 years in Reserve.
He served in the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment who landed in Marseilles in March 1916 and proceeded to the Western Front. Three months later they were involved in the Battle of the Somme Offensive. It was here William was killed on the 9th August 1916 in the Somme Offensive. He is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium and listed on the Felpham War Memorial.
Richard and Edith Norris had sadly lost all their Children, a daughter Violet Norris who was born and died in 1888, William B Norris, born 1890 and died 1901. After William they lost their fourth child Stephen John Norris, born 1897 and died 1900.
William was a regular soldier. He served in the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment.
Part of a letter written by William.
He was killed in a gas attack.
Buried in Poperinghe New Military Cemetery, France
