William Norman Wells CBE, Captain 1st, 15th, 3rd and 5th Battalions, West Yorkshire Regiment

Lieutenant W N Wells appears on the Leeds Pals alphabetical list as having served with the 15th Battalion, that at least one document on his service record file supports.  Other documents confirm he also served with the 1st, 3rd and 5th Battalions; one referring to the 1/5th.  He is not listed on the Leeds Pals 1915 Register, although he is mentioned in the 15th Battalion’s war diary as joining in mid-1917, so he did serve with the Leeds Pals, albeit for a short time.

William Norman was born in Ripon, Yorkshire on 12th February 1896 and baptised on 10th March that year to parents Arthur Scott Wells (1857-1934), a Wine Merchant born in Ripon, and Isabella (Lella) Francis Bolam (1870-1927) who was born in Newcastle.  His siblings were Arthur Scott (1894-1916) *, Tom (1898-1977), Wilfred (1900-1986) **, Christopher Bolam (1901-1979) and Bruce.  In 1901 the family were living at South Crescent, Ripon and in 1911 he was a boarder at the Grammar school.  Before the war William served as a Private for six months in the Public Schools Special Corps OTC where he took part in ‘Drill and Shooting’.  He was able to ride a horse (a little), ride a motorcycle and drive a car.  He was also spoke German and French (a little).  

* His brother Lieutenant Arthur Scott Wells was also educated at Ripon Grammar School, Yorkshire.  He enlisted in the 5th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment on 8th August 1914 and served as a Lance Corporal prior to commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant on 4th January 1915.  He served in the 33rd (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (attached to the 8th Battalion) and was killed in action on 26th September 1916.  Arthur is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

** Another brother, Wilfred, was awarded the Military Medal while serving as a Corporal in the 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry.  The award was announced in the London Gazette in March 1919, two months after he was discharged, although not the citation.

William commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant (on probation) on 17th March 1915 and was initially posted to the 3rd Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment.  He deployed to France on 19th November 1915 with the 1st Battalion and remained with them on the Western Front for five months.  On 18th July 1916 he was posted to the 3rd Reserve Battalion at Whitley Bay, having returned from the front on 20th April 1916 suffering from trench fever and neuritis, sailing from Calais to Dover on HS (Hospital Ship) Newhaven.  After treatment at the Endsleigh Palace Hospital, London he was granted six weeks leave by a medical board, followed by eight months of light duties.

In June 1917 his service record states he was serving with the 15th Battalion and returned to England due to an ‘injury [to his] abdominal wall’, leaving the unit on the 4th and sailing from Calais to Dover on the 10th.  In late 1917 he was attached to the 1/5th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, as a Company Commander, and on the 16th November left the unit to sail to England via Le Havre, arriving in Southampton on the 29th.

William was demobilised on 2nd January 1920 and relinquished his commission from the 5th (DF) Battalion on 7th July 1921,, giving his permanent home address as Meadowcroft, Ripon.  His final unit in December 1919 was the 2/1st Yorkshire Hussars where he had been acting Captain and Adjutant since 19th May.  William was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal for his war service.  After the war he joined the 5th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, as a Lieutenant, and was promoted to Captain in April 1922; he remained in the TA until after the Second World War. 

On 7th March 1925 he married Marion Gibbon (1897-1987), a doctor’s daughter, at Preston St John Church, Sussex.  They had two children Robert Norman (1926-2004) and Joan Marion (1932-2000).

At the time the pre-war register was compiled in mid-1939 William was living with his wife Marion and two children at Further Down Crescent, Ripon.  Joan Marion Wells was one of the children listed although the other was Mary S Wood; Robert Norman was not listed.  William’s occupation was a Wine and Spirit Merchant, Marion was listed as Unpaid Domestic Duties and the children were at school.

A notice published in the London Gazette 31st May 1949 records that ‘Capt W N Wells (48332) having exceeded the age limit of liability to recall, ceases to belong to the TA Res of Offrs, 1st June 1949, and is granted the hon rank of Maj’. 

In the New Year Honours List 1961 he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Civil) (CBE), for political and public services in Ripon.

When he died on 17th February 1984 his home was still South Crescent, Ripon.

Sources:

The National Archives – Service Records, War Diaries

Ancestry – Birth, Census, Death, Probate Records. Medal Rolls

Findmypast – 1921 Census and 1939 Register

London Gazette – Appointments, Promotions and Honours

RootsChat – Research by Candidiasia (Candis) Ibberrson 2008 and photograph

Researcher: David J Owen

Please Note:

  • All opinions and inferences are the researcher’s own.
  • Please refer to our Glossary of Terms for further information on the terms and phrases used in this post.