Remembered Today: Gunner William George VIZER, 157th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery who died on 12th May 1918, Sandpits British Cemetery, Fouquereuil

CWGC Information

VIZER, WILLIAM GEORGE

Rank: Gunner

Service No: 78473

Date of Death: 12/05/1918

Age: 26

Regiment/Service: Royal Garrison Artillery

157th Siege Bty.

Grave Reference I. H. 2.

Cemetery SANDPITS BRITISH CEMETERY, FOUQUEREUIL

Additional Information:

Son of the late William George and Annie Vizer, of Minety, Wilts.

Died of wounds 12th May 1918. Age 26

William George Vizer attested to the Royal Garrison Artillery at the Citadel, Plymouth aged 24 years and 7 months. His service record shows him as a Hotel Manager . His records contain two medical records. His first, undated but appears to be on enlistment, records him having a misplaced toe on his left foot, and that he should be employed on "Garrison Duties only". The next entry records his death from wounds on active service , so clearly William George managed to get to the front line.

He was attested 8th December 1915 and went to the Reserve, so presumably he was a volunteer under the Derby Scheme. He was mobilised to no 8 8 Depot RGA in May 1916, with his second medical record for March 1916 mentioning nothing about his foot problem. On 12th May 1916 he was sent to the BEF, joining 148 Siege Battery 22nd May 1917. A period at base from 14th July to 25th July 1917, before posting to 81 Siege Battery. He was wounded in September 1917, another period at base, then leave via Bologna, joining 157 Siege Battery 3rd December 1917.

Info from Ron Clifton

157 Siege Battery RGA (four 6" howitzers) first appears in the order of battle in France in Dec 1916, as part of Fifth Army Artillery. It spent 1917 in the Ypres Salient, mostly with Fifth Army, throughout 1917, being attached to various Heavy Artillery Groups. In Feb 1918 when HAGs were re designated Brigades RGA, 157 SB became part of 70 (9;2" Howitzer) Brigade RGA, in which it remained for the rst of 1918, mostly as part of First Army.

First army were in the area south of Armentiers in May 1918. Gunner William George Vizer died of wounds at the 7th Field Ambulance 12th May 1918 aged 26. He is buried at SANDPITS BRITISH CEMETERY, FOUQUEREUIL. CWGC records the cemetery was begun by XIII Corps at the outset of the German advance in April 1918, and continued to be used by them until September 1918.

His grave can be viewed on the War Graves Photographic Project:

http://twgpp.org/inf....php?id=2738913

William George had no immediate family, his personal effects, plaque and medals being sent to his grandfather, John Goodwin. It would seem William George was a religious man, religious medals and a rosary being among his belongings.

RIP George William