Private 99388 William Thomas Wauman Ingram

Killed in Action on Sunday, 24th March 1918, age 33.
Commemorated on Panel 90 to 93 of Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France.

Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), 58th Company. 58th Division.
Formerly 28418 Ox & Bucks Light Infantry.

Husband of Mrs Rosannah Ingram, of 40, Tipton Rd., Tividale, Staffs.
Born: Birmingham, Enlisted: Birmingham, Resident: Unknown.

First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library, and St. Augustine's memorials.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1583216/

Genealogical Data

Birth of William Thomas W. Ingram registered December quarter 1884 in Solihull.

1901 Census
19 Brewery Street, Handsworth, Staffs.
Thomas Ingram (50, Stableman - Livery, born Yardley), his wife Mary E. (47, Laundress, born Staverton), and their 4 children: William T.W. (16, Gardener - not domestic, born Yardley), Florence A. (14, Laundress, born Yardley), Ernest R. (10, born Yardley), and Louisa M. (8, born Yardley).

Marriage of William T. W. Ingram and Rosannah Allmark registered September quarter 1910 in Dudley.

In 1911 William's parents, Thomas and Mary Ingram, were still living at 19 Brewery Street, Handsworth, but of their 4 surviving children of 6, only their youngest - Louisa was living with them.

No trace can be found of William and Rosannah Ingram on the 1911 census.

Personal Data

WT Ingram is commemorated on the Tipton Library Memorial, the 'Staffordshire Roll of Honour' records Pte WT Ingram, Machine Gun Corps. "Soldiers Died in the Great War" records him as born and enlisted in Birmingham, which is confirmed by the 1901 census, and confirms him as WTW Ingram. The Roll of Honour of Tividale Ward provides his address as 40 Tipton Road, Tividale.

After William's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £6/3/8d (6 pounds, 3 shillings and 8 pence) and his War Gratuity was £6/0/0d (6 pounds exactly). These were paid to his widow, Rose, as one sum in August 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that William had enlisted in October 1916.

Action resulting in his death

There is some confusion about William's correct unit. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission shows him as 58th Company, whereas his Soldier's Effects shows 58th Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps (MGC).

Before February 1918, each of the 3 Brigades in a Division had a Machine Gun Company; these 3 Companies were amalgamated into a single Divisional Machine Gun Battalion in February 1918. In 19th (Western) Division, 56th, 57th and 58th Machine Gun Companies were amalgamated into the 19th Battalion, MGC.

So, if the CWGC is correct their recording of 58th Company relates back to a previous name, and he was really 19th Battalion, MGC. If the Soldier's Effects are correct, then 58th Battalion, MGC, was attached to 58th Division - a London Division. I think it slightly more likely to have been the former, and he was serving with the 19th Battalion, MGC, formerly 58th Company.

The German Spring Offensive, known as Operation Michael, had begun on the 21st March 1918 and had made significant gains. As part of this Offensive, the 19th (Western) Division took part in The First Battle of Bapaume from the 24th to 25th March.

Late on 24th March, after enduring unceasing shelling, Bapaume was evacuated and then occupied by German forces on the following day. During this action Private William Ingram was killed. His body was never identified and so has no known grave, he is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.