Private 11337 William Arthur Hands

• Nuneaton WW1 Memorial Nuneaton WW1 Memorial
• Nuneaton WW1 Memorial Plaque Nuneaton WW1 Memorial Plaque
• Bethune Town Cemetery Bethune Town Cemetery
• Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
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• Buried: Bethune Town Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave IV.D.56
  
• Awarded: 1915 Star, British War and Victory Medals
• Son of Joseph and Harriet Hands
  
• NNWFHS Memorial: Nuneaton WW1 Other Regiments

Links to Relevant Information

• CWGC Page for Pvt Hands
• Bethune Town Cemetery
• Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry

Military, Census and Family History Information

• Born 12 Oct 1891 at Nuneaton and Baptised 1 Nov 1891 at Hinckley Methodist Church
  
• Lived at 101 Midland Road, Nuneaton [1901 and 1911]
• Employed by London and Midland Railway on 29 Apr 1907
• Employed as a Colliery Labourer [1911]
  
• Enlisted at Nuneaton. Arrived in France 27 Apr 1915
  

Mrs Hands received the following letter from the Commanding Officer under whom her son served:
“Mrs Hands, - I regret very much having to inform you of the death of your son, Pte Hands, who was killed on Thursday night.  We were only a few yards from the Germans, who made an attempt to get into our trenches by throwing bombs at us.  We succeeded in driving them back, but had six good men killed, one of whom was your son.  He died without pain, gallantly doing his duty.  He was buried together with his comrades by a Chaplain, and a neat tombstone marks the spot where he lies.  Please accept our sympathy in your loss, and believe me, yours very sincerely,