CONSTABLE WILLIAM FLIGHT
Today we remember Police Constable William Flight of the Lanarkshire Constabulary, killed in action 110 years ago, on the 19th of April 1916.
CONSTABLE WILLIAM FLIGHT
LANARKSHIRE CONSTABULARY
William was born on the 17th of June 1892, at Edwards Place, Camperdown Street, Broughty Ferry. William was born into a policing family, his father, also William, being a Police Constable at Broughty Ferry. At that time Broughty Ferry had its own Burgh Police force.
William was raised and educated in Broughty Ferry. The family remained there when his father gained promotion to Sergeant in 1909. William worked as a gardner when he left school
William Jnr later left the area and joined Lanarkshire Constabulary, around 1912, serving at Hamilton.
As World War 1 continued, he volunteered for service with the Scots Guards on the 24th of May 1915 at Hamilton. He was allocated the number 13958 and then travelled to Caterham where he was allocated to the 3rd Battalion Reserves.
He received his training in England and on the 10th of November and transferred to the 2nd Battalion. On that same day he departed for France arriving on the 11th of November. He served with No 2 Platoon, âFâ Company.
On the 15th of May 1916, his family wrote to the Scots Guards Headquarters at Buckingham Gate, London, as they had not heard from his for several weeks. He usually wrote to them on a weekly basis.
On the 31st of May they received a letter from the Regimental Adjutant informing them that William had been killed in action the previous month.
Tragically, William was killed in Belgium, whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion on the 19th of April 1916, his body was never recovered, and he is now commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial (Panel 11) to the missing. He is also remembered on the Lanarkshire Constabulary Memorial.
William was only 23 years of age.
May he Rest in Peace.
