The son of William and Ida, of Lewis Street, St Helier. At the time of the war, he was married and living at 56 King Street, St Helier.

Called 'Willie', from 1915, he served with the transport section of 7th Royal Irish Rifles. Went to the front with the Jersey Company in December 1915, and appears to have served through 1916 and 1917. In January 1918, he transferred to 2nd Hampshire Regiment along with most of the other Jersey Company survivors. At some point, however, he transferred again, this time to the Labour Corps.

Having survived the war, he died tragically in March 1919 while travelling home on leave. The train carrying him was in a collision near Amiens and left him in the Abancourt Stationary Hospital with a broken femur. Initially his family was told his condition was dangerously ill before a second letter arrived announcing his death. Having been expected in the Island, prior to learning of his accident, his mother had gone to harbour expecting her son to arrive on the mail boat.

The railway crash killed ten and injured at least twenty-five others.