Menu

Mole, William James

William James Mole was the son of Edgar and Georgina Mole, Somerville, Nant Mawr Rd. In 1911 the family living at 1901 Daisy Hill were Edgar Mole 42 wheelwright b Norfolk; Georgina 47 b Bradford; Amy 21, Edward 19, William 17 b Kinnerton, Charles 16, George 14, Edgar 13, John 11, Edith 6. Edgar Mole died in 1930 and Georgina in 1949. Charles, Edgar, Edward and George also served and survived.

From his service record,  we learn that William was once a brick maker. He attested in April 1914, aged 20 years 11 months. The 1st/5th Btn. RWF was a component of the 53rd (Welsh) Division) which by December 1914 was training in Cambridge, where it was inspected by the King on 11 February 1915. William embarked from Devonport on 14 July 1915 and landed with his battalion at Sulva Bay Gallipoli, via Imbros, on 9 August 1915. He served in the thick of the fighting until evacuated back to England on 18 September 1915 suffering from dysentery, quote ‘very sick and weak in body’, where he was admitted into the Royal Victorian Hospital, Netley, Hants.

William was sent back to Egypt and rejoined his battalion on 21 January 1916 and would have been present at the First and Second Battles of Gaza between March and April 1917. On 29 April that year he was admitted into hospital in Cairo with bronchitis. Medically reclassified B1, William was transferred to the Labour Corps, no. 362672, on 22 March 1918 and posted to 804th Area Employment Coy., then later to 1023rd Area Employment Coy., after a short spell as a Batman to an officer in the 5th Cavalry Division from 22 August 1918. Becoming very ill again, William was admitted into the British Citadel Hospital, Cairo, where he died of pneumonia on 14 November 1918. William served and survived hostilities the whole war, only to succumb to illness three days after the Armistice.

Records from the absent voters list showed four Mole brothers serving in the Army

Edward Mole            Nant Mawr Rd            26110  Driver, Army Service Corps

William Mole                   ”                           362672 Private, Labour Corps.

Charles Mole                   ”                           R146185 Rifleman, 6th London Regiment.

Edgar  Mole                    ”                            69422 Private, 3rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

A family story recounts that Edgar Mole was discharged with ill health, Charles was wounded and lost his big toe and that the youngest boy John was turned away by the recruiting officer when he tried to enlist in 1918 as he already had 5 brothers serving in the army.  He was told to “Go back home to his Mother”. This confirms a family recollection that George (known to descendants as Richard George) was serving as well as those listed above.


Learn more about the other soldiers on the Buckley Memorial

Back to top