Private G/7409 William Alfred Nurse

3rd Battalion Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own)

Killed in action in the France and Flanders Campaign on the 2nd May 1915 aged 26 years.

He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel Ref: Panel 49 and 51

Son of Henry and Sarah Nurse of Woodgate, Rothley, where he was born. Brother to Sarah Ann, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Agnes, Thomas Henry, Joseph, Edith Emily, Sidney and Frank. His mother died on the 21st May 1905 and his father on the 1st November 1907 leaving 16 year old William, a brick-layer, and some siblings without parents. This could have been the reason why William at the age of 22 emigrated to Australia on the 1st May 1912 heading for Melbourne on the P & O ship 'Commonwealth'. He returned to the UK in January 1915 to enlist in Leicester, leaving Adelaide, Australia, on the 'Orsova' and landing in Plymouth.

Named on the War Memorial, Parish Church Roll of Honour, Parish Church Triptych Roll of Honour. Also named on the Commemorative Roll of Australia, a Commemorative Book located in the Australian Memorial's Commemorative Area. The Commemorative Roll records the names of those Australians who died during or as a result of wars in which Australians served, but who were not eligible for inclusion on the Roll of Honour.

The War Diary entry covers the 29th April 1915-3rd May 1915 and ends with:

Total casualties as far as can be ascertained at present:

5 Officers killed and 5 Officers wounded. 1 Officer missing- he was sent out and reported to the Front on the night of the 22nd April and has not been heard of since. Other ranks killed or missing 325.