William Ambrose, known as Will, was born in early 1890 at Piccott’s End, Hemel Hempstead to William Ambrose and Sarah Ann Lucas. William and Sarah had ten children together two of which died in infancy in the late 1870’s. Their surviving children were: Jenny, Frank, Millie (Millicent), Nellie (Ellen), Minnie, William, Reggie and Sybil. When Will was born his family lived at 45 Piccott’s End but, by the time of the next census the Ambrose family had moved a short distance to Chapel Street just off the High Street in Hemel Hempstead. Will would live on Chapel Street until he went to war and it was from here that he started work minding kilns at the local Block Works.

Will was a keen footballer and played as a reliable full-back for ‘Hemel Hempstead Wednesday’ and was known fondly as ‘Weary’ to his team-mates. He also played for Apsley Mills ‘Sundries’ departmental team when he went to work at John Dickinson and Co Limited sometime after 1911. He was a member of the winning team of the ‘Uncle’s Cup’ in 1913, originally the inter-departmental football tournament at Dickinsons. This cup competition is now in it’s 120th year and continues as a charity tournament contested by local amateur teams.

On the outbreak of war, Will left Dickinsons and attested at Hemel Hempstead, along with his boyhood friend Fred Gurney, at the end of August. Both men enlisted with the Bedfordshire Regiment. It is not known which battalion of the Bedfordshires Will joined but, following his basic training it appears he joined a machine gun section which entailed further specialist instruction.

By the time he was ready to go to France at the end of 1915, the Machine Gun Corps (MGC) had been officially formed and battalion machine gun sections were ‘brigaded’ into the newly created unit and assigned to a company. In Will’s case his company is not known as each battalion of Bedfordshires was assigned to a different division. However, evidence suggests that by late 1916 or early 1917 he transferred to the 51st Company MGC.

The 51st had been formed out of the 7th Lincolnshires, 7th Borderers, 9th South Staffords and the 10th Sherwood Foresters and it came under the orders of the 17th (Northern) Division in the 51st Brigade. By the time Will joined the company he had been promoted Serjeant and led his own machine gun team. It is presumed he saw action with his companions at both Battles of the Scarpe in April 1917 as well as the capture and defence of Roeux in March. However, his luck ran out the following July when he was tragically killed, along with the members of his team, when a shell fell into the trench where they were positioned.

Will died near Arras on Tuesday, 3rd July 1917.

His death was reported in the Hemel Gazette and a number of letters received by his parents were published, the most poignant of which came from his boyhood pal Fred Gurney.

He is remembered with honour on the John Dickinson and Co. Limited War Memorial at Apsley End.

Will is Remembered with Honour in Bailleul Road East Cemetery, St. Laurent-Blangy, Pas-de-Calais, France where he is interred in grave V.A.2.

He was 27 years old when he died.

Will was eligible for the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.