Born in 1895 in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, Lieutenant Nelson died of wounds on 8th July 1916 at Mericourt on the Somme. He was 20.

Son of Percy (1862-1939) and Gertrude Nelson (nee Bennett, 1874-1934) of "West-Minster" Hindhead, Surrey.

He enlisted on 5th August 1914 and was gazetted on 2nd Lieutenant on 17th September 1914.

“Nellie” as he was affectionately known, entered Saint Ronan’s in September 1904 where he was in Class III. In November 1905 he is recorded as having played in the school football team.

His steady progression eventually earned him a King’s Scholarship in Mathematics at Westminster worth a value of £80 in 1909. He continued to study and progress well.

In 1911, William placed in the Mathematical VIth at the age of 15. He played the part of Crito in a play, The Phormio of Terence that was featured in the Westminster School magazine, called 'The Elizabethan'.

Westminster, 1911 – Nelson is on the far right.

In 1911, he was awarded a King George's Coronation Medal, a commemorative medal to celebrate the coronation of King George V

In January 1912, he was mentioned in The Morning Post and various other papers, as having been one of the most successful actors in the Latin play at Westminster. In April he was awarded the “Cheyne Prize” for Mathematics. In August, he was noted as being top of the Mathematical Sixth

In January 1913, William passed the Little-go for Cambridge (an exam held in the second year). In April, The Elizabethan noted that he “read a maiden speech from newspaper cuttings, said that a huge percentage of Welsh members had for years been clamouring for the Disestablishment, and that as they represented the Welsh people, they should have their wishes granted. If the Church was disestablished in Wales, it would take exactly the same position as it holds to-day in the Colonies.” He was also congratulated for regaining the Gym Cup which Westminster had lost the previous year.

In January 1914, The Elizabethan reported that William had read a paper on Aeroplanes, which was “the best paper heard at Westminster for some time”.

In February 1914, The Elizabethan reported thus: “Mr Nelson (the fourth speaker) very properly dealt with the matter from a military standpoint, and thrilled the society with blood-curdling calculations as regards military matters. He quoted Mr Asquith who had said that the sense of insecurity, and the additional expenses, would not justify the building of the tunnel. He would advocate a service of train ferries, whereon Mr Helsdon said such a service would be insufferably slow.

In March 1914, again at the Debating Society, where the motion was “In the opinion of this house the risk to human life involved in exploring uninhabitable countries is not justifiable.” For the motion, M A Thompson and W H V Nelson; against the motion, S L Holmes and T R Dawson. William as the Seconder declared that at any rate there was no reason why any one should want to go to the South Pole again now that it had been discovered. He denied that a 10 per cent loss was a slight one, and argued that the fact that these regions were inhabited in the past was of very little interest to most people, and they were not likely to be habitable again for a very long time.

In April 1914, William reminded the Debating Society of the Morocco crisis. He contradicted the Seconder's statement that arbitration was successful, and quoted the recent Balkan war as an example. He said that if we did not defend ourselves properly Germany would attack us at once for the sake of our Colonies. He emphasised the fact that we must be ready to fight at any time, and proved from numerous statistics that in order to be safe it was absolutely necessary to lay down two extra ships every year. For the moment he said we might be quite safe, but it was necessary to look forward several years, as it would be impossible to build the necessary ships in time when war broke out.

In January 1915, William succeeded in winning one of the Triplet Exhibitions to Trinity. It was the same year that he joined the War.

His Battalion was very much involved in the battles of The Somme. The 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters moved from Bouzincourt on 30th June 1916 and up to the assembly trenches in 'Glasgow Road', 'Lower Horwich Street', 'Quarry Post' and 'Bamberbridge Street', prior to their attack on 1st July.

The 11th Sherwood Foresters, along with the 9th Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment, were in support of the two attacking Battalions - the 8th Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment and the 8th Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.

In the assembly trenches in Authuille Wood, which formed part of 'Blighty Valley', they came under heavy German bombardment and began to suffer the first of their many casualties.

"At 7.45 a.m. a message was received that the German first line had been taken and the Battalion moved into the front line by Companies, along pre-arranged routes under a fairly heavy shrapnel fire." [11th Battalion History]

"When we moved up for our attack we found that many of these [trenches] had been hit by German shells, killing or wounding the men inside. That place was full of dead men, torn-off limbs and badly wounded who begged for help, but we dared not stop. The communication trench almost ran with blood that morning. While we were waiting in our front line to go over, a German machine-gun was spraying the top of the trench, flicking up dirt from the parapet." [Pte. F.W.A. Turner from Bilsthorpe, Nottinghamshire]

The leading waves of attacking Battalions, the 8th Yorkshire and Lancashire and the 8th Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, made good progress and entered the German first line. The subsequent waves however were caught by machine gun fire in No Man's Land. Even then the attack was pushed through to the German second line where heavy fighting took place. Eventually however, due to the heavy losses the attack was finally halted and the survivors withdrew to the British line during the afternoon.

Both of the attacking Battalions, suffered severe casualties.

"The persistent clacking of machine guns and the number of casualties who were crowding into the line made it evident that all was not going well. It had been arranged that the first wave of the left Company was to file out of a sap and occupy a bank about 70 yards in front of our own front line. The difficulty of carrying out this plan grew every moment, as the sap was thronged with wounded and congestion grew minute by minute." [11th Battalion History]

The 11th Battalion were ordered forward but faced withering German machine gun fire as soon as the attacking waves left the trenches. The Battalion Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Watson was wounded while trying to rally his men and push forward the attack.

A number of soldiers recorded the events:

"At nine o'clock our time had come. At last the words came - "Sherwoods over!" We were soon over but not a man out of my platoon got over 60 yards. Nothing could live in it. We were enfiladed by machine gun fire on both sides, also on our front. I think I was the last one on my pins in our lot; I got one in the right elbow, and went down close to one of our officers, who had the calf of his leg blown away. I crawled into a shell hole and began to remove the pack as best I could. I dared not show myself much, as Hun snipers were about, and I could hear the crack, crack of the explosive bullets as they were picking off our wounded as they tried to crawl back to our lines". [Private Frank Carroll]

"We were one of the first battalions to go over, and there were not many that who got back safe. I think the Germans must have had hundreds of machine guns, as nearly all our Officers were either killed or wounded before they had gone far. But we did not funk it, we kept going on until there was hardly anyone left. I got my wound about ten yards from the German trenches and I had to crawl back as well as I could. Let me know of anyone else who has got done. . . . ....you might think I am swanking when I say that every man kept going towards the German lines in spite of the deadly machine gun fire, but it is true. I never saw a man waver and chums were being shot down at our side, it was awful." [Private Percy Williams]

From 11th Sherwood Foresters Regimental Archive

In a letter from Hospital to Colonel Wylly, the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Watson recounts the attack by the 11th Sherwood Foresters:

"The leading Battalions advanced with some opposition to the 2nd German line and were completely held up at the 3rd line by terribly heavy machine gun fire. They were reinforced by the supporting Battalion which had suffered quite heavily crossing 'no-man's land,' My Battalion had some difficulty in taking its place in our front line of trenches when the time came for its advance, owing to the number of wounded men returning and blocking the communication trenches. The first wave of the Battalion got away well under a heavy fire, and in the majority of cases got into the German front line; some even penetrated to the 2nd line. About 9.45 a.m. it became apparent that the Germans had returned to their first line, and I received orders to take and consolidate it with my second wave. This I endeavoured to do; but owing to the machine gun fire, which was terribly heavy from both flanks as well as from in front, hardly a man reached the trench. D Company on the left suffered very heavily, as a large number of the men advanced from a sap which was marked down by the machine guns. . . .

. . . . . I personally was wounded about 100 yards from the German line about 10.30 a.m., and a very large number of our men lay dead close to our wire. Most of the wounded crawled back to safety after dark. I was carried in by three unwounded men of the Battalion, Ptes. 17953 H. Moakin, 17949 F. Sadler and 17764 A. Tolley of D Company at about 11 p.m. . . . . . .

. . . . .The Brigade who suffered very heavily was relieved from the trenches that night. . . . .

. . . . . I put the casualties among the rank and file to be fully 500 men out of 600 who went over the parapet, but this is rather a guess, as I have no means of checking lists, and is probably less than the total."

The advance on 1st July 1916 had reached Fricourt, a heavily fortified village and a major focus of the German defences of the area. It was supported in the rear by a number of heavily wired trenches known respectively as Lozenge Trench, Railway Alley and Bottom Alley. Further back was the formidable German defensive system known as the Quadrangle Trench with numerous supporting works. Interspaced amongst these were several woods full of machine gun emplacements. The Sherwood Foresters played a major role in the capture of some of these defensive works.

The British Plan on 2nd July called for an attack on Fricourt, Railway Alley and Quadrangle Trench. The War Diary for the 11th Sherwood Foresters for 2nd July states:

"The advance was eventually pushed on through Fricourt Wood as far as the line of its Northern edge at about 5pm. At this point the advance was again held up, Railway Alley being strongly held and the wire uncut. On the left the advance was more successful and Lozenge Alley from Fricourt Farm exclusive was in the hands of the S. Staffs."

At dusk on the 2nd July there was still a lot of heavy fighting in front of Crucifix Trench and bombers of 'A' company were involved in a bombing attack along this trench, which lead eastwards from Fricourt Farm.

"The attack commenced at 11.30 pm and with aid of help of the Battalion bombers 170 yards of this trench was captured . . . . . . At the same time D Coy sent forward a bombing attack up the C.T. from Fricourt Wood to Railway Alley to the East of Fricourt Farm, and gained some 200 yards of this trench."

"The attack, however, was in every way successful and the casualties comparatively slight. Meanwhile A Coy on the left brought heavy fire to bear on the trench 200 yards N.E. of Fricourt Farm and on Crucifix Trench. The garrison of the former of these trenches soon showed the white flag and surrendered, and occupied it, and our troops pushed on to Crucifix Trench and occupied it. A mixed bombing squad was pushed down the C.T. leading from this trench and the result was the surrender of an entire battalion - the 3rd Battn. 186th Regt., - including the commanding officer".[11th Battalion History]

"On the following night, we were marched through Albert to Fricourt Wood and we went in the Wood in single file. The order was passed down very quietly all fags out and we were told only to talk in whispers as the enemy was not far away. You may rest or sleep if you can but for heavens sake do it quietly. Sentries were posted to keep a sharp look out. We, the troops didn't know a thing of how the land lay in front of us - everything seemed so uncanny. It was very quiet. I tried to snatch a few winks but was unable, then just before dawn we were roused and we went quietly in single file to the edge of the Wood and spread out in extended order waiting for the order to advance and as soon as we left the cover of the wood we were met with terrific rifle and machine gun fire. We advanced on and as soon as a line of men rushed forward a few yards at a time the machine guns simply mowed men down like nine pins. When the final assault was made the Jerries which was the 111th Reg. Wearing the round cloth cap grey with red piping seemed more than ready to surrender, I think they were a Pioneer Reg. I'm not sure. After consolidating our position we advanced further to what was called Happy Valley and dug in. There we found some deep dugouts absolutely shell proof and the occupants had to be winkled out with grenades. Many of my pals fell in the attack before we reached the German front line. When we were relieved the following day there was a roll call and only 26 men and NCOs and 3 officers answered out of a company of 250 strong." [Private Leonard Robinson]

The attack was a partial success but Lieutenant Nelson was recorded as being “wounded slightly at duty” following the attack.

Following the successful capture of these trenches, the Brigade was ordered to consolidate the position and take up a line running along the hedge from Shelter Wood to Bottom Wood. The Sherwood Foresters were on the right of the line with the South Staffordshire Regiment on the left, which gave each battalion an approximate frontage of 400 yards.

The night of the 3rd July was spent in consolidating and patrol work, the latter considerably hampered by a sniper and machine gun fire.

On 4th July, the Battalion was relieved by the 52nd Brigade and the Companies marched to billets in Ville.

On 7th July the Battalion was part of the Third Attack on Quadrangle Support. The Battalion returned to the original front line near Fricourt. From there they moved up to the Quadrangle Trench via Lonely Copse.

"The battalion moved off from camp at 6.30 a.m. and was in position as ordered by 9 a.m. A & D Coys in front line, B & C Coys in support. Border Regiment on the right. On arrival a message was received that a preliminary attack on Quadrangle Support undertaken by 52nd Bde had failed and that attack was being renewed at 8a.m."

Map of Quadrangle Trench and support showing the plan of attack for the evening of 7th July

The Battalion unsuccessfully attacked the Quadrangle support and suffered over 250 casualties. Lieutenant Nelson was recorded as being wounded on 7th July, and dying on the 8th at No. 38 Clearing Station.

The total number of casualties suffered by the Battalion during the operations that were undertaken from 1st to 11th July 1916 were 15 Officers and 366 Other Ranks or roughly 40% of total strength.

The following obituary from the Daily Telegraph outlines his career: “Lieutenant W. H. V. Nelson, Sherwood Foresters, who has died of wounds, was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Percy Nelson, of 15, Hanover-street, London, W., and was in his 21st year. He was educated under Mi. S. S. Harris, at S. Ronans, West Worthing, from which school he took a mathematical scholarship at Westminster. At the same time he retired from another scholarship, which he had gained at Cheltenham. While at Westminster he won the Cheyne mathematical prize for two years in succession with full marks, an almost, if not quite unprecedented feat in the history of the school. A few days before the outbreak of the war he left Westminster with a scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge. When war was was declared he applied for a commission in Kitchener’s Army, being already a member of the Westminster O.T.C. Pending the receipt of a commission he enlisted in the Public School Corps, and it is interesting to note that he stood twelfth on the list of enrolment. Gazetted first lieutenant in July, 1915, he went to the front in the following November. In December, 1915, he was in the trenches, and assisted at the taking of the Bluff. For four months he acted as bombing officer to the 10th Sherwoods. On July 2nd he was wounded in the great advance, and died on the 8th inst. at No. 38 Casualty Clearing Station.”

The following are letters sent to Lieutenant Nelson’s parents by his commanding and brother officers following his death. They show how very well regarded he was.

Copy of a letter dated 13th July 1916,from A J N Lander, 10th Sherwood Foresters:

“Dear Mr Nelson,
Your Son has been one of my best friends since we both joined the eleventh battalion, and I should like to tell you how much we thought of what he did before his death, though that will not make up to us for his loss. The company I am in took part of a trench by night assault from a flank, and our right got held up by a ‘stop’ in the trench. Your Son, alone with our company bombing officer, protected our right flank all night, and he kept on bombing after being twice wounded slightly in the face, till the next morning another regiment came up on our flank. He would have been recommended for the Military Cross, and certainly many of our company owe their safety to his efforts. Three days after, he was hit while taking his men into another attack. He was always cheering us up, and I know the Battalion will not seem the same to his friends without him. If there is any other information it is in my power to send you, please let me know.

Yours sincerely,

A J M Lander”

Copy of Letter dated 17th July, 1916, from Major H A Leggett, 13th Sherwood Foresters:

“ Dear Sir,
I have read with very great sorrow the news of your boy’s death, and I hope you will pardon me for my intrusion at this time; but I wish to bear witness to one of the finest characters that I have ever met. As a senior officer in the 11th Battalion, I first met the ‘Admiral ’ at Frensham in 1914, and I knew him thoroughly from that time until he went out. His keenness was magnificent; one instance I give you as quite typical. He expected to go out with the 11th in August last year from Borden, and was bitterly disappointed at being told he must wait behind, but he packed his things and went to the Station (Liphook) four miles away, just on the chance that some officer might fall ill, or be absent at the last moment, and he might go. No young subaltern ever identified himself so closely with his men; he knew them all, their records, their characters, even their homes and families, and no one ever did his duty more conscientiously. It is very easy to say these things for they are so abundantly true. No one was ever more honest than he, transparently, simply, solely, honest. He was with Mr Lander all through his service, 11th, 15th, and 2nd and 10th, and I shall probably hear from him about recent events.
My very heart sympathy goes out to you and his mother in your loss.
Yours very sincerely,
H A Leggett”

Copy of a letter dated 17th July, 1916, from Archibald G Bowring, 3rd Southern General Hospital, Somerville Section, Oxford:

“Dear Mr. Nelson,
May I as a brother Officer of the Sherwood Foresters express my deepest sympathy with you on the loss of your Son. Although I had only been with the Battalion since March, I had come to look upon him as a personal friend, we had many walks and talks together.  
I know how splendidly he behaved in the “ strafe.” I was wounded early myself (July 3rd), and did not see him myself, but I remember what I heard in the train from another fellow who was with him. He said Nelson did splendid work and will get a V.C. or a Military Cross; however, his reward I am sure will be a far better one.
Believe me,
Yours sincerely,
Archibald G Bowring”

“Dear Mrs. Nelson,
Please accept my sincerest sympathies in the loss of your son.
We knew each other very well indeed, having both been at the Headquarter Mess ever since he joined the Battalion. I am afraid I cannot give you a detailed account of his doings in those first six days of the great advance.
I can only tell you that he instilled the greatest confidence into his men and they would have done anything for him.
He was wounded slightly in the nose and forehead, on, I think, the 1st July, it was very slight, but quite enough to have gone to Hospital with, had he not been of such hard metal.
Then on July 7th he was hit very badly in the leg, his Sergeant at the same time being hit in both legs This is only hearsay. I never saw him after he was wounded.
He set a fine example of pluck, on hearing that there was only one stretcher near at hand he refused to be taken away before his Sergeant. This I’m afraid is all I know, except that on July 8th I heard he had died.
With the deepest sympathies, I remain,
Yours very sincerely,
F C Nodder”

Extract from a letter, dated 22nd July 1916, from Captain Wilmot, 10th Sherwoods to Captain Watts, 11th Sherwoods:

“About Nelson. - Nodder, Signalling Officer of the Battalion has written to Mrs Nelson with full details, so I won’t add anything. He did magnificently in the first ‘strafe’ and got two slight wounds in the face. I understand his name went in for a decoration for that. He came out for two days after that and then went in again when he got killed. There is no doubt that in the first ‘strafe’ he stood out above all others. This is the opinion of everyone.”

  Copy of Letter from Colonel Banbury, 10th Sherwood Foresters, dated 25th July, 1916:

“ Dear Mrs. Nelson,
Your letter of the 13th reached me just as we were moving up again. Mr. Hoyte, of ours— who is Brigade Bombing Officer has, I understand, written you all particulars he could ascertain, and I can only add that your son was buried at Heilly (Picardy), next to Capt. Fisher, D.S.O., who also died of wounds.
I am very sorry to say that I was personally unaware of your son being wounded until after he was carried away, as I had just left that part of the field and so missed seeing him. As you know I had selected him as Battalion Bombing Officer, and I should not have done that unless I had formed a good opinion of his capabilities and keenness, and also of his private character. I was quite attached to him, and can assure you that we all appreciated his worth and feel deep sorrow for you in your loss, and it is the desire of all ranks that I should convey to you our condolence.
If there is anything more I can tell you, donot hesitate to ask. The Bombing Sergeant who was with your boy, and also wounded, has since succumbed also.
I had noted your son’s name for mention, he did so well in the attack on Railway Trench.
With best wishes,
Sincerely yours,
W. E. Banbury”