Born in 1888 at Woodford, son of George (Jobbing Gardener) and Alice Eliza Hammond. 1901: With his family at 6 Squirrels Heath, Romford. 1911: An Oil & Colour Assistant - providing materials to artists - living with his family at 6 St James Cottages, Brentwood Road, Romford.
He enlisted at Romford on 18th June 1915, and joined 18 Kings Royal Rifle Corps (Arts & Crafts Battalion) which was formed privately in 1915 at Gidea Park. The Battalion went to France in May 1916, spending time in billets near Bailleul, before going into the line at Ploegsteert south of Ypres, where they would perform two months trench duty. This was a relatively quiet sector in which Battalions from England could be inducted into front line service.
On 30th June 1916 a trench raid was preceded by an artillery barrage lasting from 07.30 to 17.00. Further shelling and a release of poison gas occurred before the raiding party set out at 22.23. The German forces responded with a wide ranging artillery barrage of their own. It is likely that William Hammond and six others from the Battalion lost their lives to German artillery.
Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian
Sources:
Ancestry.com
Regimental History