William John Wills

The First Military Burial at St. Paul’s, Sketty: Serjeant William John Wills

William John Wills
St. Paul’s, Sketty
credit - findagrave

In December 1917, St. Paul’s, Sketty, witnessed its first military burial. The service was held for Serjeant William John Wills, aged just 32, who had served with the South Wales Borderers, Brecknock Battalion. His story, traced through census records and military documents, offers a glimpse into both his personal life and the wider historical setting of the time.

Early Life in Honiton

William John Wills was born in Honiton, a historic market town in East Devon. His parents, William (often recorded as John) and Mahala Wills (née Golesworthy), married there in June 1884.

1891 Census

By 1891, the family was living at 69 Bonds Cottage, Honiton. William’s father worked as a tailor despite being deaf and mute from childhood. The census lists young William, then aged five, alongside his siblings and two maternal uncles.

Honiton itself is a town with a rich history. Mentioned in the Domesday Book as Honetone, it grew along the ancient Roman road, the Fosse Way, which linked Exeter to Lincoln. In the Elizabethan era, Flemish immigrants introduced lacemaking, which soon flourished into a major cottage industry. Fires in the 18th century destroyed much of the town, and many of the buildings we see today date from the Georgian rebuilding.

Growing Up and Moving Away

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, William, now fifteen, was working as a saddler’s apprentice. His younger siblings—Percy, Arthur, Gertrude, and Marian—were all still at home in Honiton.

William John Wills and Edith Emma Simons
Marriage Certificate
St. Gabriel church

In the years that followed, William moved to South Wales in search of work. In June 1907, he married Edith Emma Simons at St. Gabriel’s Church, Swansea. At the time of their marriage, William was living at 22 Cromwell Street and employed as a saddler.

1911 Census

The 1911 Census records William and Edith in Ystalyfera, Pontardawe, where William was working as a harness maker and general hand.

Military Service

Attestation Papers

In January 1913, William enlisted with the South Wales Borderers, Brecknock Battalion. Surviving attestation papers reveal that he had previously served for a year and eight months with the Devon Regiment, 3rd Battalion.

When war came, William’s service continued, but tragically, in December 1917, his life was cut short. Following his death, Edith received a pension and returned to live in the Sketty area.

Burial and Commemoration

William was buried at St. Paul’s, Sketty, the churchyard’s first recorded military burial. No local newspaper reports of his funeral have been found, but his memory endures.

Honiton War Memorial

He is commemorated not only in Sketty but also in his hometown of Honiton, where his name is inscribed on the Honiton War Memorial.

Remembering William

Honiton War Memorial

The story of Serjeant William John Wills is one of many threads in the tapestry of lives touched by the First World War. His journey—from a tailor’s son in Honiton, to a saddler in South Wales, to a soldier of the South Wales Borderers—reflects the personal histories behind every name carved in stone on our war memorials.