William Regan

William Regan, one of 12 children, was born on 14th June 1893 at Queen Street, St. Paul’s Cheltenham to Daniel Regan and Margaret (née Sullivan) and was baptised at St. Gregory’s Roman Catholic Church on 16th July 1893. His father worked at the Gas Works on Tewkesbury/Gloucester Road.

After leaving St. Paul’s Practising School, Swindon Road, William was working as a Fish Porter in 1911 but left to work in the coalfields of South Wales. It was in Abertillery, Wales that William joined the Territorial Army of 1/3rd Battalion of the Monmouthshire Regiment.

The regiment left for France on 14th February 1915 and was sent straight to the Ypres sector. The main attack started on 22nd April and on the critical day, the 8th May, a tremendous bombardment wiped out the front line of the trenches. The survivors were ordered to withdraw but were swept with machine gun fire.

William was severely wounded on 9th May, being shot through the back and mouth, breaking most of his teeth. He lay in the trench for two days before being captured by the Germans. He wrote to his parents that he had been moved around several hospitals: “I used to long to be in bed when in the trenches, and now I want to get out… I have only slept one night out of seven. I am in such pain and am very weak.”

On 22nd May 1915 William died of his injuries at Festagne-Lazarett Military Hospital for Prisoners of War, Luttich and his final resting place was at Robermount Cemetery in Liège. The Red Cross in Geneva informed his parents of his death, having been informed by the Chief Doctor at the German Prisoner of War Hospital. He is commemorated on the Cheltenham war memorial, Cheltenham Parish Church Boys School war memorial and St. Paul’s Church war memorial.