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ular army unit. He went to France on 12th November 1914
and would have had at least six months training before he went.
At that stage in the war men did not go overseas before their
18th birthday.
He had only been in France for six months when he died from
his wounds on 12th May 1915.
The battle of Aubers Ridge started on 9th May 1915. It was an
attack by the British on the recently heavily reinforced German
trenches. The bombardment was inadequate and the British
gained no ground. For the British, the battle was an unmitigated
disaster.
William died in the later stages of this battle.
He is buried in the Lillers Communal Cemetery, Nord-Pas-de-
Calais, Plot 3A.39
SHARPE William Levi
Private 9769 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
William was born in 1895 in Kings Cliffe, the son of John and
Sarah Ann Sharpe, who lived on West Street, Kings Cliffe.
He was brought up in the village and in 1911 was employed as
a groom at the Cross Keys Hotel.
William joined the Regular Army in early April 1913, joining the
1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment at Old Fletton, near
Peterborough. He went to France on 13th August 1914, almost
as soon as war was declared.
The 1st Battalion was involved in battles within a few days
of arriving, at Mons and the Marne and then on the banks of
the river Aisne. The Germans had dug in on the heights to the
north of the river and, after unsuccessfully assaulting them on
the 13th September, the British dug in on the southern bank.
Then followed the first instance of what was to become trench
warfare. The Germans shelled the flimsy trenches of the British
from their advantageous heights.
The BEF lost about 13,000 men in just over a week, not great
by later standards but significant to the small British army of the
BEF.
202
and would have had at least six months training before he went.
At that stage in the war men did not go overseas before their
18th birthday.
He had only been in France for six months when he died from
his wounds on 12th May 1915.
The battle of Aubers Ridge started on 9th May 1915. It was an
attack by the British on the recently heavily reinforced German
trenches. The bombardment was inadequate and the British
gained no ground. For the British, the battle was an unmitigated
disaster.
William died in the later stages of this battle.
He is buried in the Lillers Communal Cemetery, Nord-Pas-de-
Calais, Plot 3A.39
SHARPE William Levi
Private 9769 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
William was born in 1895 in Kings Cliffe, the son of John and
Sarah Ann Sharpe, who lived on West Street, Kings Cliffe.
He was brought up in the village and in 1911 was employed as
a groom at the Cross Keys Hotel.
William joined the Regular Army in early April 1913, joining the
1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment at Old Fletton, near
Peterborough. He went to France on 13th August 1914, almost
as soon as war was declared.
The 1st Battalion was involved in battles within a few days
of arriving, at Mons and the Marne and then on the banks of
the river Aisne. The Germans had dug in on the heights to the
north of the river and, after unsuccessfully assaulting them on
the 13th September, the British dug in on the southern bank.
Then followed the first instance of what was to become trench
warfare. The Germans shelled the flimsy trenches of the British
from their advantageous heights.
The BEF lost about 13,000 men in just over a week, not great
by later standards but significant to the small British army of the
BEF.
202
