In Memory of
Certificate:SHUTE, WILLIAM SILAS – courtesy of Commonwealth War Graves Commission
William Silas Shute was born on 19th March 1885 in Chilfrome, Dorset where he lived with his parents at the Poorton South Dairy House, Poorstock, Dorset. In 1901 he was working as a Dairy/Labourer. In 1906 he moved to Symondsbury in Dorset where he started work as a Baker. In 1909 he joined the Gloucester Constabulary and was issued Warrant No: 3904 and was posted to J Division in Stroud, Glos. Between 1911-1914 he received two commendations for larceny arrests and the recovery of stolen property. In December 1914 he was transferred to G Division where he remained until enlistment. In April 1912 at Teddington, near Tewkesbury he married local girl Jane Attwood, a house servant. Their first child George was born in the same year and on 5th May 1915 William voluntarily enlisted with the Army at Gloucester and joined the Royal Gloucester Hussars where he became Sgt.Major 2917. He landed in Egypt on 6th November 1915 where the Royal Gloucester Hussars had just become part of the newly formed and independant Command Brigade known as the 5th Mounted Brigade. On 23rd April 1916 (Easter Sunday) he was Killed in Action in Egypt, this sadly meant he never got to see his second child Charles who was born on 23/2/1916 in Tewkesbury. William is remembered on Panel 3 of the Jerusalem Memorial in Israel and on the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Memorial, Colleg Lawn at Gloucester Cathedral and on The Chideock War Memorial, Chideock, Dorset. Medals: 1914/1915 Star, British War and Victory Medals.