Born in 1886 at Lambourne, son of William (initially a Farmer, later a Park Keeper/Gardener to the Borough Council) and Anna Matilda Bass. 1891: With his family at 2 Oakdale Terrace, Oakdale Road, South Woodford.
1901: A Tea Sampler, living with his family at 1 Beechcroft Road, South Woodford. 1911: A Bakers Roundsman (later a Baker) with his family at “Drummore” later 12 Woodville Road, South Woodford.
He enlisted at Stratford on 14th October 1914, joining the Royal Artillery. His Unit, 83 Brigade, arrived at Le Havre on 26th July 1915. He was posted to Cookery School in January 1916 before rejoining 83 Brigade. During the summer of 1917 he began incurring some minor disciplinary sanctions in a relatively short space of time, leading to speculation that the strain of war may have begun to tell on him.
His unit was in the Ypres area of Belgium during July/August 1917. His Officer wrote; we had been under shell fire for some 4 weeks and were just coming out for a rest when a shell came over killing your son with the remainder of his detachment. He was an excellent soldier and a brave man, keeping cool, attending to his duties, setting a fine example to the rest of the Battery. Two days before his death the Commanding Officer had made a recommendation that he be given an immediate bravery award. Initially William Bass was buried about 1 mile south of Ypres, later being moved to the concentrated cemetery at Voormezeele.
This was the second son that Anna Bass had lost.
X/R: Bombardier Leonard Bass (Brother)
Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian
Sources:
Ancestry.com
FindmyPast.co.uk