FORD

		Source
		CWGC	SDGW	Uttoxeter Advertiser	Other
Parents	Amos and Elizabeth Ison Ford
Where born	Alton, Staffordshire		Yes
When born
Address	Wife: 11, Brookside, Uttoxeter
Address	Parents: Alton, Staffordshire
Spouse	Annie E. Ford
Children
Employment Before Joining up	Employed as a Monumental Mason by Messrs. Peter Ford and Sons.
Where enlisted	Uttoxeter		Yes
Regiment	Royal Engineers	Yes
Regiment	Corps of Royal Engineers		Yes
Unit	144th Army Troops Coy.
Rank	Sapper		Yes
Service Number	35943		Yes
Date of Death	16 April 1918		Yes
Age at time of death	43
Where Killed or died	Hospital in Rouen, France
How he died	Died of wounds		Yes
Location of Grave or Memorial	St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen Grave P. IX. P. 5A.
Awards

He was described as an old Volunteer and before the war he was an ardent footballer, demonstrating 'plenty of dash and spirit'. He was well-known in the district as the centre-half for Oldfields from the beginning of the club.

He joined up in 1914 and was described as 'just the type of man who would revel in a fight with the Hun'.

Coincidentally, Private W. Moore was a workmate, and they both lost their lives within a few days of one another.

In August 1917 the Uttoxeter Advertiser reported the fact that he had been part of a small detachment of men sent from his company to carry out some special work. Coincidentally, the man in charge turned out to be Corporal Carter, who lived in the same street in Uttoxeter. Sapper Ford wrote home to say that they had had the pleasure of meeting one another!

The work was inspected personally by General Sir Douglas Haig, who left them with the following complimentary remarks: “Well, my men, you are carrying out great work here – very great and useful work. Carry on with it.”.

During the second week of April 1918 it was reported that Billy Ford had been wounded, along with a number of other men from Uttoxeter, in recent severe fighting. He had been taken to a French hospital.

The following week it was reported that he was still in hospital in France and that he was suffering from abdominal wounds. He was progressing as satisfactorily as could be expected.