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Captain William Alexander Cosgrave HEDLEY
D Company, 1st Battalion East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) Date of birth: 20th July 1895 Date of death: 19th July 1918 Died of wounds aged 22 Buried at Abeele Aerodrome Military Cemetery Plot II Row B Grave 13
William Alexander Cosgrave Hedley was born at Mickley Vicarage in Yorkshire on the 20th of July 1895 the only son of the Reverend Herbert Headley, Vicar of Nackington, and Margaret Inglis (nee Cosgrave) Hedley later of 17, Brockhill Road, Saltwood, Hythe in Kent. He was educated at Winchester College where he was in Bramston's House from 1908 to 1910 and at Lancing College where he was in Heads House from September 1910 to July 1914. He had successfully matriculated for Trinity College Cambridge in 1914 but instead of taking his place there he volunteered for overseas service. He applied for a commission in the East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) on the 14th of August 1914 at their Regimental Depot in Canterbury in an application which was supported by the Reverend Bowlby, Headmaster of Lancing College. He underwent a medical examination there where it was recorded that he was five feet six inches tall and that he weighed 133lbs. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 8th Battalion East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) on the 22nd of September 1914. He embarked for France on the 5th of October 1915 with a draft of three other officers and three hundred and ninety six other ranks and joined his battalion in the field at Reninghelst. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 18th of March 1916 and was promoted to Temporary Captain, while commanding a company, on the 30th of June 1917. He relinquished that rank on the 9th of February 1918. He was admitted to 10 Stationary Hospital at St Omer on the 1st of July 1917 suffering from a severe dental problem. On the 13th of February 1918 the 8th Battalion East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) was disbanded as part of a wider reorganisation of the army and William Hedley was transferred to the 1st Battalion of his regiment. His father received the following telegram dated the 6th of April 1918: - "Captain W.A.C. Hedley Eighth East Kent Regiment admitted Fifth British Red Cross Hospital Wimereaux sever trench fever." He was released to duty on the 14th of April. He was appointed as Commanding Officer of D Company but relinquished that position on the 8th of July 1918. On the 15th of July 1918 the 1st Battalion East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) took over front line trenches in the Dickebusch area, near Ypres known as the Ouderdom Line. D Company relieved C Company, 1st Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment on the left of the battalion front line. The battalion suffered a steady stream of casualties from shelling and sniping during its tour of the front line. On the 19th of July twenty other ranks were killed and ten were wounded. William Hedley was also wounded and died later the same day. The battalion was relieved the next day by the 2nd Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment and withdrew to Brigade reserve. His father received the following telegram dated the 23rd of July 1918: - "Deeply regret Lieut. W.A.C. Hedley First East Kent Regiment killed in action July nineteen. Army Council express sympathy." The news of his proposed promotion to Captain came through on the day he was killed. He was mentioned in despatches. He is commemorated on the war memorial at Trinity College Cambridge, on the memorial at Nackington in Kent, and on the memorial at Winchester College.

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