3/7339 Private William Arthur Trickett
Died 1st May 1915 age 20.
William was the second child of Mark & Faith, born in 1895. Like his brother Erasmus, he went to work as a labourer in a local nursery. Both brothers enlisted with the Dorsetshire Regiment on the same day, hence the sequential army numbers. William did not go to France with his brother, remaining in England until 8th April 1915 when he was sent to join the 1st Batallion of the Dorsetshire Regiment at Ypres Salient. Like his brother, less than four weeks after arriving in France he was at Hill 60 when the Germans released gas into the trenches. He was reported missing as his body was never found, but it is assumed that he was one of the many who crawled out of the trenches trying to escape the gas. At home, this left 19 year old Lily, the eldest of three daughters, Erasmus and William’s sisters, to look after their father Mark and what was left of his family.
William was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War and the Victory Medals.
As well as being commemorated on the West Parley Memorial, William’s name is the one below his brother Erasmus on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.
Excerpts taken from Lesley Wilson’s book
They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We Will Remember Them