William and the Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 20/12/1915 and were part of the 48th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division. William was one of 77 members of the 8th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers killed at Hulloch, Loos on the 27/04/1916 when the Battalion came under heavy artillery fire and a chlorine gas attack. An Officer stated he died 'facing the enemy' (see Newspaper clipping to his sister Bridget McGuinness). The Gas Attacks at Hulloch : Just before dawn on the 27th of April, the 16th (Irish) Division and part of the 15th (Scottish) Division were subjected to a cloud gas attack near Hulluch. The gas cloud and artillery bombardment were followed by raiding parties, which made temporary lodgements in the British lines. The gas used by the German troops at Hulluch was a mixture of chlorine and phosgene, which had first been used on the 19th of December 1915 at Wieltje, near Ypres. The German gas was of sufficient concentration to penetrate the British PH gas helmets and the 16th Division was unjustly blamed for poor gas discipline. It was put out that the gas helmets of the division were of inferior manufacture, to allay doubts as to the effectiveness of the helmet. SEE PHOTOS x 18 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY APRIL 1916. SEE WAR DIARIES 9 to 18 FOR NOMINAL ROLL OF KILLED, WOUNDED & MISSING, 27th - 29th APRIL 1916. William is also remembered on the Gilford, Co. Down Memorial (see photos) and on the St. Patrick's Church Roll of Honour (book). See photos for William's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clipping, his name on the Irelands Casualties Roll of Honour, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, William's name on the Loos Memorial kindly donated by Mick McCann at the British War Graves website who supply photos FREE OF CHARGE
here, his Will made out to his sister Bridget x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Loos Memorial Panel List and the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Cap Badge. Finally, see photos x 2 for the Wreath placed by myself at the Loos Memorial in July 2023 remembering the men who fell during the Battle of Loos 1915, myself and Wreath at the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Panel in July 2023 (William listed lower right), Newspaper clippings x 2 (Coatbridge Express x 1 and Coatbridge Leader x 1), PAGES x 8 FROM THE IRELAND'S UNKNOWN SOLDIERS BOOK (Terence Denham book on the 16th (Irish) Division in the Great War), the 16th (Irish) Division Order of Battle x 14 and 3 more Newspaper clippings (Northern Whig x 1, Belfast Newsletter x 1 and the Newry Telegraph x 1).
