William Blaylock Hoodless 1892-1916

I had known for many years, before writing the post on my ancestor Harold Hoodless, that he had died during WWI. He was remembered within our family as the person who had written from France to suggest the name “Louvain” for a girl when he knew that his niece (my great grandmother) Mary Jane was having a baby in 1916. And indeed my Nana was named Elizabeth Louvain Hoodless. I did not know about the other Hoodless family members who also suffered such loss until I began researching this ONS. Brothers William and Thomas Hoodless were Harold’s second cousins. They also enlisted to fight in WWI; fought and lost their lives in France bringing a double tragedy to their family. It is fitting to honour their sacrifice today, Anzac Day, in New Zealand as I write this.

William Blaylock Hoodless WWI Timeline

• William was a 22 year old painter when he answered Lord Kitchener’s notice for 500,000 volunteer men to form a New Army. The then Secretary of State for War planned to have this army in training for a year in the event that WWI lasted more than the one year. Everyone at the time expected it to be over well before then. William’s service records states he was 5ft 4″ dark complexion, weighed 112lbs, has grey eyes, dark brown hair and has flat feet.
• William joined the 6th Border Regiment on 1st September 1914 as a private. They formed part of the 33rd Brigade of the 11th (Northern) Division and he began basic training initially at Belton Park, Grantham in Lincolnshire and then at Frensham, Surrey.
• 1st July 1915 his regiment received their orders and sailed from Liverpool for Gallipoli, entering the Mediterranean theatre of war. On the night of 6th August and through the next day the 33rd Brigade landed on the beach in Suvla Bay. This operation was the first time the New Army saw its first active engagement of WWI. The 6th Border Regiment had the mission of taking control of a small hill called Lala Baba. The enemy Ottoman forces controlled the hills that led up from the beaches and were well equipped to defend their positions. The landing Allied forces found themselves in a terrible position like sitting ducks between the hills and the sea.

Battn Headqrs were formed along the road just North of TORDUT CHESHME a very heavy enfilade from enemy machine guns was experienced & the firing line became divided into isolated groups with no support coming up. A further retirement on the left caused the commanding officer to collect as many men as he could along the road about TORDUT CHESHME. This line was held all day until about 5.0pm. A large number of men had been killed or wounded along the line by machine guns. At 5.0pm the remainder of the Battn. & one company of the Staffordshire Regt. retired about 150 yards & occupied an old trench & dug in. Casualties being Officers :- 12 killed, 4 wounded, & 1 missing. 20 officers started the attack. Casualties ranks & file killed 26, wounded 241, missing 131. 696 men started in the morning with the battalion.

6th Battalion Border Regiment War Diary – 9th August 1915

• Gallipoli as we know (especially in New Zealand and Australia) was a major failure with 44,000 lives lost, including 11,479 Anzac troops. The mission to take control of the Dardanelles and capture the Ottoman capital at Constantinople would have changed the course of the war but was met with a strong Ottoman defence and never achieved any of its goals. William saw action in the entrenched and sporadic fighting along the coastline until the 33rd were withdrawn to the island of Imbros in December 1915 due to heavy losses, bad weather and disease.

• A short time later in January 1916 the 6th Borders were sent to Egypt and took over the defence of the Suez canal for six months.
• June 1916 William and his regiment found themselves in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria from which they sailed on 3rd July with orders to join the war in France; the battle of the Somme had just commenced. They disembark at Marseille on 6th July and make their way by train to Arras. By late July, 6th Borders find themselves in the front line of the Somme.
• 15th September 1916 the Battle of Flers-Courcelette begins and William’s brigade are tasked with launching an assault on WELL and DANUBE trench with the object of taking them over. There is fierce fighting and shelling as 6th Border rushed the trench and took control of it.

“Coy” is an abbreviation for “Company”

Cap Morris and C. Coy took over WELL position and DANUBE TRENCH. During the night this Coy was subject to heavy H.E and shrapnel almost continuously. The bank at the back made a terrible artillery target and caught every thing. Many 8 inch duds about but plenty more must have gone off. The Coy hung on well and stuck it out. The enemy in JOSEPH trench came down under cover of rifle grenades but never actually attacked. Mention must be made of Capt MORRIS and 2/Lts ADAMS and MCREA for their excellent work that night in encouraging and keeping their men together.

6th Battalion Border Regiment War Diary – 17th September 1916

William Blaylock Hoodless, aged of 24, lost his life during this battle. He is buried at nearby Oviliers Cemetery the personal inscription on his grave is “He giveth his beloved sleep”

Private-William-Blaylock-Hoodless-CWGC-Certificate