WILLIAM ROBERT SMERDON NOSWORTHY
Known as Willie
1890 – 1918
William was born in Widecombe in December 1890 to William Robert Nosworthy and Elizabeth Smerdon. William had three sisters Hilda, Ruby Annie, and Maude Louise all younger than himself and all born in Widecombe. The family lived at Southway Farm. William attended Widecombe School, and afterwards worked on the family farm.
In 1914 William married Annie Louisa Irish the sister of John Irish. They had three children, Raymond died aged 5 Louisa and Bryan.
Late in 1914 William enlisted in the Army joining the 2nd/4th Battalion Devonshire Regiment. The Battalion was sent overseas to India in December 1914 and remained in that Country until 1917 when they were moved to Palestine. The Battalion were involved in periodic skirmishes with Turkish troops, but a much bigger problem for the troops was sickness. Over 7000 troops stationed in Egypt and Palestine were diagnosed with Malaria during the months April to September 1918.
William Robert Smerdon Nosworthy was one of the men who died in Egypt in 1918 from the illness contracted in Palestine.
William is commemorated at the Kantara Military Cemetery in Egypt, on the War Memorial Plaque in St Pancras Church, and on the family headstone in the Churchyard.
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