Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Arthur Barney a coal miner, born 2nd August 1868 in Ashby Wolds, Leicestershire and baptised on the 4th October 1868 in St. Helen’s Church, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire and his wife Georgina Ann Barney (nee Sherratt, married on the 14th May 1894 in St. Helen’s Church, Ashby de la Zouch), born 1871 in Moira, Leicestershire. William was born on the 17th July 1894 in Moira, his siblings were, Mary, born 1898 in Church Gresley, Derbyshire and Sarah, born 27th November 1899 in Ellistown, Leicestershire, in March 1901 the family home was at Hotel Yard, Hugglescote, Leicestershire. In April 1911 William was employed as a coal mine pony driver and was residing in the family home at White Hill Road, Ellistown, together with his father, a coal miner, his mother and siblings, Mary, Sarah, Alice, born 13th October 1901, Georgina, born 18th July 1903, Arthur, born 1908 and Frank, born 15th November 1907, the latter four siblings were all born in Ellistown. William also had the following siblings, Elizabeth, born 1895 and died in 1896, Plessy, born 1905 and died in 1908 and Timothy, born 28th April 1911in Ellistown. William’s mother died in June 1938, aged 66 in Ashby de la Zouch and his father died in October 1949, aged 81 and was interred on the 25th October in the Ellistown district.
The family worshipped at St. Christopher’s Church in Ellistown. William known as Bill, after completing his education at the local school joined his father at South Leicestershire Colliery. In 1912 he enlisted in the 5th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment as a Territorial soldier, in July 1914 he had passed his interview and was about to begin training for the Metropolitan Police Force, but unfortunately this had to be cancelled due to the outbreak of war. Bill was with his Battalion at the annual training camp at Bridlington, and following mobilisation entrained from Loughborough for Luton, where he was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. After arriving in Flanders, Bill became a member of the Tunnelling Section under Lieutenant Aubrey Moore of D Company. He was killed by a sniper wound to the head on the late evening of the 30th June 1915, just as the Battalion had returned to the frontline trenches at Trench 50. Sergeant William Cave wrote to Bill’s parents:- “Dear Mr and Mrs Barney, I am writing to let you know that William was killed on Wednesday night, June 30th at quarter past nine. Alfred Burton was with him, and just before he was shot he was asking how everyone was getting on back home. He did not suffer much and he died thirty minutes later. His last words were to thank those who had bandaged his wound. The following night they asked me to bury him because he was my mate, and I said I would and did! He was buried in full uniform and we covered him with a blanket so that no dirt could touch his face. Forty of us stood over his grave and prayed for him. I made a cross and put it over his grave and as long as I’m in the area I will care for it. We all miss him but just remember he died for King and Country.” Sergeant Cave was himself sniped whilst in charge of a wiring party in No-Man’s-Land on the 28th December 1917. Corporal John Hall also wrote:- “I am sorry to write that your son, William, has been killed in action. He was with me at the time and we were just talking about what we would do when we got leave when he was shot through the head. We all miss him, we always will and he was a good soldier, willing to do anything that was asked. I don’t think there was a more popular N.C.O. in the company than ‘Tim’ we always called him that name. I am writing to you on behalf of the rest of the boys. I know he was buried decently, William Cave saw to that. We are nearly all Coalville and District lads in this part of our trench and we look out for each other. Alf Burton was also with him at the time. We offer our deepest sympathy.” John was killed at the Charge of the Hohenzollern Redoubt on the 13th October 1915. Private Alfred Burton died in action on the 17th August 1917.
William enlisted/attested into the Territorial Force on the 7th December 1911 in Coalville, and was allotted the service number 1240. He gave his place of birth as Moira, Leicestershire and age as 17 years 6 months. His marital status was given as unmarried and his trade or calling as miner employed by Bagworth Colliery Company. He gave his present address as Kendall Road, Ellistown, Leicestershire.
His medical examination took place in Coalville on the 7th December 1911 and recorded his apparent age as 17 years 6 months, that he was 5 feet 9½ inches in height, had a chest measurement of between 35 and 37 inches, his vision was described as good and his physical development was described as good.
He gave his next of kin as his father, Arthur Barney, Kendall Road, Ellistown, Leicestershire.
During his period of military service, the following events of note occurred: -
Joined. At Coalville. 7/12/11.
Posted. 5th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Pte. 7/12/11.
Annual Training. Aberystwyth. 4/8/12 – 20/8/12.
Appointed. Lance Corporal. 1/9/14.
Appointed. Lance Corporal (paid). 23/9/14.
Embodied Service commenced. 4 5/8/14.
Embarked. With 1/5th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. 26/2/15.
Landed. Le Havre, France. 27/2/15.
Granted ½d per diem whilst employed in Royal Engineer’s work. In the Field. 25/5/15.
Killed in action. In the Field. 30/6/15.
Summary of Service.
Home Service. 7/12/11 – 27/2/15. 4 years 93 days.
France. 28/2/15 – 30/6/15. 123 days.
Total Service. 4 year 206 days.
He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 30 Jun-15 - ZILLEBEKE. At 11.00pm enemy shelled No.6 trench with high explosive and universal shells. Several casualties. At 5.00pm “C” Company took over No’s 7 and 8 trench. Each Company found its own supports.
On Thursday 8th July 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – ELLISTOWN TERRITORIAL KILLED IN ACTION. - 5th Leicester’s Popular Non-Com. Mr. A. Barney, of No. 8, Cumberland-road, Ellistown, has received the distressing intelligence that his son, Lance-Corporal Wm. Barney, of A (Ashby de la Zouch) Company 5th Leicestershire Territorial’s was killed in action at a place not stated on the 30th June. Corporal Barney enlisted in the Ashby Company four years ago, and left with the battalion for active service. He wrote cheerfully to his mother and father a day before he was killed. He would have reached his 21st birthday on the 17th of this month. By occupation a coal miner, he worked formerly at Ibstock Collieries, but had also been employed at Bagworth Colliery. Lance-Corporal Cave writing to Mr. and Mrs. Barney, on the 2nd inst., notifying the death, said Barney was shot whilst on guard, and died in half an hour. Capt. Hastings prayed over him, and Cave, who buried him, says he said a prayer too. Corpl. J. Hall, of the same platoon, writing on the 3rd inst., also expressed regret at the death of Barney, and adds that they were just saying what they would do if they got leave, when Barney was shot through the head. He was a good soldier, willing to do anything, and “I don’t think there was a more popular non-com, in the company than him.” Corpl. Smith, of Nailstone Wood, and of the same platoon, who also was with Barney at the time he was killed, has also written a few words of condolence with Mr. and Mrs. Barney on the death of their son. Deceased formerly attended Ellistown St. Christopher’s Church, and gained many friends owing to his genial disposition.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday July 16th 1915

As briefly reported in our last issue, Corpl. William Barney, of the 5th Leicestershire Territorial Regiment, was killed in action on the night of Wednesday, June 30th. He would have been 21 years of age last Saturday. His father, Mr Arthur Barney, a South Leicestershire collier, resides in Cumberland Road, Ellistown. The parents received the sad news in letters written by comrades of the deceased at the front.
Lance-Corpl. W. E. Cave, in the same regiment, and also a former resident of Cumberland Road, Ellistown, only two doors from the home of the deceased wrote:

“I am writing to tell you the sad news that William was killed while on sentry at a quarter past nine on Wednesday night, June 30th. Alf Burton saw him, as he was in the same group and just before it happened he had been asking him how you were all getting on at home. He did not suffer much pain, as he died half an hour afterwards. His last words were, ‘Thank you,’ after they had bandaged him up. The night after, they asked me to bury him, as he was my mate, and I said I would. We made a grave, me and another chap, and lowered him into it. He was buried in his full equipment, nothing was pulled off. He was in a blanket, so that no dirt could touch his face. Capt. Hastings, of the same company, prayed over him, and I said a prayer too. Forty of us stood over his grave at the burial service. I filled the grave in and put a cross over it. I am quite sure he was buried respectably and as long as I am in this quarter, I will see to his grave. I am sure we shall all miss him, as he was liked by all in the company, and you can say that he died for his King and Country.”

Another letter was Corpl. J. Hall, who wrote: “I am sorry to tell you that your son William has been killed in action. He was with me at the time, just saying what we should do if we got leave, when he was shot through the head. We miss him and shall always miss him. He was a good soldier, willing to do anything that he was asked. I don’t think there was a more popular N.C.O. in the company than Tim – we always called him by that name. We, therefore, deeply regret his loss in our platoon. I am writing to you on behalf of the rest of the boys. I know he was buried decently. W. E. Cave saw him buried. We are nearly all Coalville and District lads in this part of the trench. A. Burton was with me at the time. Again offering you our deepest sympathy.”

In a few lines written by A. Burton, he says: “I have been along with him ever since I came here and not long before he had been asking me how you were getting on at home.”

A line is added by L.-Corpl. F. Smith, of Nailstone Wood, who says that he was with the deceased and deeply regrets his death. The late Corpl. Barney had been in the Territorials some months before the war broke out, having in fact nearly finished his term of service. He was a collier in the Ibstock pit.

Research undertaken and submitted (including photograph from the Coalville Times) by Andy Murby 5/9/2017