Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Alfred Plumb, a plumber, born 1874 in Leicester and his wife Harriet Plumb (nee Pinsent, married in the 3rd quarter of 1895 in the Leicester district), born 1875 in Leicester. William Ernest was born in the 2nd quarter of 1899 in Oakham, Rutland., he had one sibling, a brother, Cecil Alfred, born 1897 in Leicester, in March 1901 the family home was at 6, Rosebery Avenue, Melton Mowbray, Leics. In April 1911 William was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at 11, Stafford Avenue, Melton Mowbray, Leics., together with his father, a plumber, his mother and siblings, Cecil, a plumber’s apprentice, John Henry, born 1907 and Edith May, born 1910, the latter two siblings were both born in Melton Mowbray, Leics. William enlisted into the Royal Flying Corps on the 17th April 1915 for the duration of the war, and was allocated the service number 145257. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 6½ inches in height and had a chest measurement of 29 inches. He gave his trade or calling as apprentice carpenter, and his father, Alfred Plumb of 11, Stafford Avenue, Melton Mowbray, Leics., as his next of kin. His record of service shows that he was aged 16 when he enlisted and he was transferred as an Air Mechanic 2nd Class on the 22/2/18. Transferred as Air Mechanic 3rd Class into the newly formed Royal Air Force on the 1/4/18. Transferred to 207 Squadron, France, 31/5/18. Died, 20/1/19.