Born 1881, Died 8th March 1917
This is a special short summary of findings on William Wrenn, student at Winchester Training College from 1900 to 1902, whose name appears in the College Memorial Roll. Before War service, he was a teacher at at Ackmar Road School, Fulham (1902-1903) and Mount Pleasant School, Southampton (1903-1915). It would appear that William’s inclusion on the Roll is mistaken. This summary is not to impugn his desire to serve his King and Country, nor belittle the undoubted trials he went through in his illness and death.
His Army record records the following:
- Attested (enlisted) in Southampton on 26th November 1915
- Transferred to Army Reserve on 27th November 1915
- Mobilised and transferred to Hants Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner 6th May 1916
- Serving at ‘Home’ (i.e. home country)1 6th May to 5th December 1916.
- Assigned to 2/5th Hants Royal Garrison Artillery on 2nd June, 1916.
- Discharged as no longer physically fit for war service (Paragraph 392 (XVI) King’s Regulations) on 5th December 1916
- Died 8th March 1917 at Forton, Hants. Cause of death (1) Disseminated Sclerosis2 (2) Respiratory failure.
Should you have any information on William which shows why he was included on the Memorial Roll, we would be grateful to hear from you.
Researcher and Author: John Vickers
Sources
For all general Winchester training College records please see the list of University of Winchester sources at the end of the following Sources list.
Ancestry (2018). Home page. [online] Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk [Accessed 2018].
General Register Office for England and Wales. Death Certificate, Wrenn W.A.E.
Teachers’ Registration Council (1948). Teachers’ Registration Council Registers 1914-1948. [online] Available at: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/
search-united-kingdom-records/
teachers-registration-council-registers-
1914-1948 [Accessed 2018].
University of Winchester Archive at Hampshire Record Office
All the following documents are general background resources for the WTC Fallen project and provide general period background of students, college life, staff, activities, etc. The Finding Numbers are given to aid archive searches.
47M91W/P2/4 The Wintonian 1899-1900
47M91W/P2/5 The Wintonian 1901-1902
47M91W/P2/6 The Wintonian 1903-1904
47M91W/P2/7 The Wintonian 1904-1906
47M91W/P2/8 The Wintonian 1905-1907
47M91W/P2/10 The Wintonian 1908-1910
47M91W/P2/11 The Wintonian 1910-1914
47M91W/P2/12 The Wintonian 1920-1925
47M91W/D1/2 The Student Register
47M91W/S5/5/10 Photograph of 5 alumni in Mesopotamia
47M91W/Q3/6 A Khaki Diary
47M91W/B1/2 Reports of Training College 1913-1914
47M91W/Q1/5 Report and Balance Sheets 1904- 1949
47M91W/R2/5 History of the Volunteers Company 1910
47M91W/L1/2 College Rules 1920
55M81W/PJ1 Managers’ Minute Book 1876-1903
71M88W/6 List of Prisoners at Kut
All material referenced as 47M91W/ is the copyright of The University of Winchester. Permission to reproduce photographs and other material for this narrative has been agreed by the University and Hampshire Record Office.
- This is not defined on William’s form, but other versions of the same document carry the instruction N.B – The country only to be shown – it is not necessary to show separately the service in the different stations of the same country. England, Scotland and Ireland to be shown under the general term ‘Home.’ For mode of computing Service Abroad see King’s Regulations. So, in this case, it shows William was serving in England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland. His unit was, more specifically, based in Southampton, where he lived.
- Multiple Sclerosis. Source of cause of death: Death Certificate. Registered same day as the death.