John Willis – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Hood Battalion

Able Seaman John Willis – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Hood Battalion

Early Life

John Willis was born in 1896 in Swansea, the son of John Willis, who later lived at 105 Port Tennant Road, Swansea. Little is recorded about his early years, but like many young men of his generation, he would soon be drawn into the events of the First World War.

Military Service

John enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) and served with the Hood Battalion of the Royal Naval Division, a unique formation composed of naval personnel who fought as infantry on the Western Front. The Hood Battalion had already endured heavy fighting earlier in the war and continued to play a significant role in the final Allied offensives of 1918.

The Hood Battalion on 29^th September 1918

On 29^th September 1918, the Hood Battalion was engaged in the final phase of the Hundred Days Offensive, taking part in operations linked to the Battle of the Canal du Nord as Allied forces pushed toward Cambrai. The battalion advanced under difficult conditions, crossing broken ground and encountering strong German machine‑gun positions as they attempted to break through the enemy’s rearguard defences. The fighting was intense and costly, forming part of the wider effort by the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division to drive German forces back across northern France. It was during these hard‑fought actions that Able Seaman John Willis lost his life.

Death and Commemoration

John Willis
Proville British Cemetery, Nord, France
credit - fidnagrave

John was killed on 29^th September 1918, only weeks before the Armistice brought the war to an end. He is buried at Proville British Cemetery, in the Nord region of France, where his grave stands as a lasting testament to his service and sacrifice