Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Moses Bourne a brick and terra cotta cashier, born 1871 in Oakthorpe, Leics., and his wife Eliza Ann, born 1873 in Measham, Leics. William Edgar was born in 1896 in Loughborough, Leics., he had one sibling, a sister Alice, born 1900 in Loughborough, Leics., in March 1901 the family home was at 12, Herbert Street, Loughborough, Leics. In April 1911 William was a scholar and was residing in the family home at 12, Herbert Street, Loughborough, Leics., together with his father, now a secretary, his mother and siblings, Alice and Frank, born 1903 in Loughborough, Leics. The War Diary for today records that the Battalion were in trenches in I.10. centre. At 2.00am an officer of the Royal West Kent Regiment, 123 Brigade, 41st Division reported at HQ’s and stated that he had instructions to relieve all units of 6th Division in that area. He supported his statement by the production of written authority and accordingly the 9th Norfolk Regiment and 2nd Sherwood Foresters were notified and the relief carried out. At 4.00am the relief was complete and the remants of the Brigade moved out of the line via the Bapaume – Cambrai Road. At Fremicourt HQ’s 18th Infantry Brigade were met and we were informed that we were to proceed to Logeast Camp, Achiet le Petit. Eventually however the Battalion was found at Berkeley Camp, Bihucourt, where the survivors, 3 officers and 46 other ranks arrived at 7.45am. Report by Captain S. T. Hartshorne, Officer Commanding A Company, and names of officers who took part in the operations are appended. The total casualties sustained were 20 officers and 453 other ranks, killed, wounded or missing. The chief point noticeable during operations was the inadequacy of the means of communication. During the 22nd after the Battalion HQ’s moved from Vaulx, only one message was received from Brigade:- Despatched at 9.45am., it wasn’t received until 2.18pm., by which time the orders contained in it were useless. No message was received from Company’s on the right of the Lagnicourt – Maricourt Wood Road, all the orderlies becoming casualties, and no reliable information could be obtained about the situation on either flank, either from behind or direct from the flanks. At 9.00am the Battalion were stood to in camp, all available men employed in digging trenches for defence in anticipation of enemy breaking through. Day passed fairly quietly. Warning order received from Brigade advising that Battalion would proceed to Puisieux au Mont by march route, thence by rail to Proven via Doullens on the 24th March. Casualties, other ranks C Company 1 wounded.