Private 8231, 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment Born July 1891. Died 09/05/1917. Age 25.

 

Born in Felixstowe, the second child of William Warner, a carpenter, & his wife Lottie (Charlotte) Elizabeth nee Cox. Prior to joining the Essex & Suffolk Royal Garrison Artillery in January 1909 William worked as an outfitter for Messrs Grimwade at Felixstowe, the family living at Cheduba, (97) High Road Walton at the time. William signed up at the age of 17 yrs & 5 mths and subsequently enlisted in the Norfolk Regiment in October1910. 

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The 2nd Battalion Norfolks were part of the 18th (Belgaum) Brigade, India in August 1914. They moved to Mesopotamia in November 1914 and were at Kut when the siege began 7 December 1915. The 8,000 strong British-Indian garrison in the town of Kut was surrendered 29 April 1916 and the survivors of the siege were marched to imprisonment at Aleppo. General Townshend arranged a ceasefire on the 26th and, after failed negotiations, he simply surrendered on 29 April 1916 after a siege of 147 days. Around 13,000 Allied soldiers survived to be made prisoners. Historian İlber Ortaylı states that "Halil Pasha acted like a gentleman to the surrendering British officers" and offered "to take the PoWs up towards the north in river boats in case fuel could be provided from British bases nearby." The offer was rejected by the British. 65–70% of the British and 15–30% of the Indian troops died of disease or at the hands of their Ottoman guards during captivity. 

 

From his war record “Presumed prisoner of war after Kut” a subsequent addition advises that he died at Adana, however it is not known how he died. William died some time between 29 April 1916 and 9 May 1917. Initially he was buried at Adana but was then exhumed & re-buried at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery.