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Jun 13, 1890
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Born in St. John, Quebec
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May 4, 1915
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Attested into the 55th Battalion CEF
in Saint John, New Brunswick
Ø Number 444237
Ø Next of kin given as Joseph
Russell, father, 478 Cogswell St., New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA
Ø Previous occupation given as
Farmer
Ø No previous military
experience given
Ø Religion given as Roman
Catholic
Ø Assigned to the battalion’s 1st
Regimental Draft
The battalion trained in Sussex, New Brunswick
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Jun 15, 1915
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The battalion’s 1st Regimental Draft
embarked the SS Corsican in Montreal, Quebec
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Jun 28, 1915
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Disembarked in England and proceeded to
Shorncliffe where he was TOS (Taken On Strength) the 12th Reserve
Battalion to continue training
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Jul 20, 1915
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Forfeited 2 days pay for being absent
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Aug 24, 1915
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Sentenced to 10 days detention and forfeited 7
days pay for being absent
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Sep 14, 1915
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Sentenced to 28 days detention and forfeited 7
days pay for being absent
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Sep 20, 1915
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Sentenced to an additional 28 days detention for
escaping while in detention
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Nov 17, 1915
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Forfeited 1 days pay for being absent
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Nov 24, 1915
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Sentenced to 20 days Field Punishment No. 2 for
being absent from barracks
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Dec 18, 1915
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Reported to be absent
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Jan 11, 1916
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Court of Inquiry declares Private Russell to be a
Deserter
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Jan 18, 1916
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Rejoined the battalion when arrested
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Feb 7, 1916
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Sentenced to 102 days detention by District
Courts Martial for being AWL January 21, 1917
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May 10, 1916
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Rejoined the battalion from detention
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Jun 7, 1916
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Reported to be absent
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Jun 20, 1916
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Taken into custody
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Jun 21, 1916
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Sentenced to 28 days Field Punishment and
forfeits 12 days pay for his absence
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Jul 5, 1916
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Declared to be absent
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Aug 15, 1916
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Sentenced to 56 days detention by District Courts
Martial for being AWL
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Oct 5, 1916
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Rejoined the battalion from detention
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Dec 8, 1916
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Forfeited 33 days pay
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Jan 21, 1917
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Declared to be AWL (Absent Without Leave) at noon
Arrested by Military Police later in the day in
East Sandling
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Feb 15, 1917
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Sentenced to 120 days detention
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May 25, 1917
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20 days of his sentence were remitted and he
rejoined the battalion from detention
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Jun 2, 1917
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Sentenced to 7 days detention and forfeited 30
days pay
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Jun 6, 1917
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Transferred to the 6th Reserve
Battalion in Seaford
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Jun 19, 1917
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Transferred to the 21st Battalion
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Jun 20, 1917
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Arrived at the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry Base
Depot) in Etaples, France and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st
Battalion
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Jul 8, 1917
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After leaving the base depot, Private Russell
joined the 2nd Entrenching Battalion in the Halifax Camp, near
Brandhoek, Belgium
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Jul 28, 1917
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Reported to be absent
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Jul 29, 1917
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Reported for duty from his absence
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Jul 30, 1917
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Sentenced to 14 days Field Punishment No. 1 and
forfeits 1 days pay for his absence
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Aug 20, 1917
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After leaving the entrenching battalion, Private
Russell joined the 21st Battalion in Division Reserve at Fosse 10,
near Sains-en-Gohelle, France
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Aug 28, 1917
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Proceeded on an unspecified course of instruction
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Sep 8, 1917
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Rejoined the battalion from course
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Nov 3, 1917
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The battalion moved into the front-line trenches
at Crest Farm, Passchendaele and almost immediately came under attack from German
storm troopers. The enemy entered the
trenches and caused many casualties before being beaten back. Private William Russell was among those killed
in that action. He was buried a short
time later in the Passchendaele New British Cemetery, Passchendaele, Belgium
Following the war, the British War Medal and
Victory Medals were sent to Miss B. Irving, Eardislen House, Tenbury,
Worcestershire, England
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