William Brentley WW1 Army Record

The following is the information gleaned from the file held at the National Archive, London

 Name:                  William Brentley

Born:                     6 January 1894 at Aldborough, Yorkshire

Occupation:          Gardener

Enlisted:               9 September 1914

Rank:                   Sergeant later 2^nd Lieutenant

Company:            See below

Wounded:            8 October 1918

Wound:                Shell fire shattered the right knee resulting in amputation below the thigh. Replaced by an artificial limb.

Height:                 5’8”

Weight:                168lbs (12st 0lb)

Chest:                  34.5” unexpanded. 37” expanded.

Education:           Fair. Attended Middleton Tyas Elementary school for 6 years.

Service History

9 Sep 1914          Enlisted Attached to 4^th Yorkshire Regiment.

17 Apr 1915         Transferred to the Expeditionary Force.                Rank Sergeant. Service No. 200522

16 Sep 1917        Application made for Officer Cadet Unit.

9 Nov 1917          Accepted for admission to No. 18 Officer Cadet Batallion to join at Bath

11 Apr 1918         To 4^th Btn Yorks Regiment.  As of this date he had spent 2 years 4 months on Home service and 1 year 2 months       Overseas and been wounded once (no detail given). Comments: ”A quiet type, has worked well and should make     a   good leader.”

8 May 1918         To, 5^th Btn. Yorks & Lancs Territorial Force

8 Oct 1918           Injured at Mericourt, Pas de Calais, France whilst attached to 2^nd Btn. Yorks & Lancs Regiment. Left unit       to return     to England.          

18 Oct 1918        Classed as; Territorial wounded - Embarked at Le Harvre

19 Oct 1918        Arrived Southampton and sent to 2^nd Western General Hospital, Manchester. File marked “Amputation”               

13 Dec 1918       Report of the Medical Board: “He has had his right knee joint shattered by shell fire and amputation in lower third   of  right thigh has been performed. The stump is well healed and he now walks on a temporary artificial limb.

13 Dec 1918       Unfit category, A & B permanently; Category Cii, probably permanently. Recommendation; 3 months leave. Report    to W/O (War Office) 14 days before expiration. 

                            Leave granted from 18 Oct 1918 - 12 Mar 1919

15 Mar 1919       Judged unfit in category A & B permanently. Fit in category Cii. Instructed to return home and report to the WO in   writing. Passed for further active duties required for sedentary work as he has now been fitted with a temporary   artificial limb.

25 Apr 1919        “Approval given to the appointment of 2^nd Lt.  W. Brentley 5^th Btn Yorks and Lancs Regiment as an attached officer   on probation to No. 1 Infantry, Record Office, York. Ordered accordingly, forthwith. Please report date assuming. (Military Secretary)”

30 Apr 1919        Reported to No. 1 Records, York and proceeded to London following day and did no work there.

6 May 1919        Officer entered hospital for artificial limb.

30 May 1919      Instructed to proceed home pending further instructions. Memo sent to him advising that he is struck off the   strength  of No.1 York Records and requesting he should report to W.O Annexe with a view to further employment.

13 Jun 1919       Unfit for any category, permanently. Given 3 months leave to 12 Sept 1919.

                           Services no longer required.

14 July 1919       2/Lt W Brentley to relinquish his commission on account of ill health caused by wounds and retain the rank of 2/Lt

23 July 1919       Granted a gratuity of 250 pounds ( around 10,000 at 2016 values) and a wound pension of 100 pounds per annum   (around 4,000 at 2016 values).