William Winters

These photos are from the collection of Leeds postman Tom Wheldon (also spelt Weldon) who served in 1/8 Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment during WW1 and was a veteran of the Boer War. 

This photo is of Sergeant William Winters of the 3rd Volunteer Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (the Leeds Rifles). Like Tom Wheldon, William fought with the Rifles in the Boer War. Their names are included in the Boer War Memorial in Leeds Town Hall.

Back in the UK, William continued to serve in the reserves and returned to work as a painter.

William also appears (seated on the left) in this photo of five Leeds Rifles sergeants probably taken at a training camp in the years before WW1.

He married Nellie Blanshard in Leeds in 1902 but life was to take a tragic turn. On Saturday 12 Sep 1908, William was away from home, working on a job in Ilkley. It was in the early hours that 17-year-old Lawrence Berry, a billiard ball marker at Leeds YMCA with whom Nellie had become friendly, shot her in Chestnut Avenue, 100 yards from her house in Brudenell Road. Berry then turned the gun on himself. He had borrowed the weapon from his employer saying that he wanted to practice at a miniature firing range. William gave evidence at the inquest saying that Berry had been a "visiting acquaintance" whom he had first met on Boxing Day.

On the outbreak of war, William re-enlisted in 1/8 Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, arriving in France on 16 April 1915.

By the time this photo was taken, William had been commissioned, shaved off his moustache, joined the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) as a temporary 2nd lieutenant and travelled to Germany as part of the British Army of the Rhine which was set up in March 1919 to occupy the Rhineland. "Yours sincerely, Billy, Cologne 24.4.19" is written on the face of the card. He was transferred later to the East Yorkshire Regiment and was promoted to temporary lieutenant on 28 May 1919.

The London Gazette reports that he relinquished his commission on completing his service on 11 March 1920, retaining the rank of lieutenant.

William lived at 1 Moorfield Terrace, Woodhouse, Leeds for the rest of his life and died in 1933.