Date of birth:

October 16th, 1879 (Ballina, Ireland)

Date of death:

April 13th, 1918

Mentioned on:

Ploegsteert Memorial

Service number:

9573

Nationality:

Irish (1919-present, Republic)

William Robert was John and Caroline Frizelle’s eldest child, born on Saturday 16 October 1879 at Knox Street, Ballina, Co. Mayo. Little is known of William’s early years and in fact, he does not appear on the 1901 Census of Ireland or on any census in the United Kingdom.

The 1911 Census shows William as resident with Daniel and Martha Dollard at 46 Dagnan Road, Balham, London. His occupation is given as Schoolmaster (Private) not currently in employment. The Dollards were originally from Dublin. Daniel Caulfield Dollard was an Artist and Martha had been born Martha Duigenan, her father being a Surgeon. They were married on 16 February 1904 at the Roman Catholic Pro Cathedral, Dublin and at the time of the marriage were resident at 57 Mountjoy Square, Dublin. This was an upmarket location and residence to Politicians, Literary, and Artistic figures.
William appears to have formed a relationship with Martha and the couple had a daughter, named Martha Frizelle-Dollard, born on 11 October 1915. Although they never married, William and Martha resided as a couple from this time. The 1915 Street Directory shows William as resident at 28 Church Lane, Tooting, London, and on the 1918 Electoral Register, William and Martha are listed as resident at 46 Alexandra Road, Wanstead, London.

It is believed that William enlisted in the Irish Guards sometime late in 1915. Issued with the service number 9573, he was posted to 2nd battalion in September 1916. He saw action with the battalion at the Third Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. By April 1918, the battalion were in action near Hazebrouck, northern France countering the second phase of the German Spring Offensive. On 12 April, the battalion took up positions near Vieux-Berquin six miles south-east of Hazebrouck. Unfortunately, the battalion war diary has no record of the events of 12-15 April however, the official history of the battalion records the events:

On the morning of 13th a message was received that the enemy had broken through the Grenadier Guards positions between Vieux-Berquin and Le Cornet Perdu. No 3 Company dispatched at once with orders to counter attack and fill the gap. No more was heard of them. They went into the morning fog and were either surrounded and wiped out before they reached the Grenadiers or were totally destroyed with them.

Unfortunately, William, a Lance Corporal in this Company, was one of those killed. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records that 38 men from the battalion were killed in action on 13 April. Of these, only five have a known grave. William, along with the majority of his comrades is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing. In addition, William’s sacrifice is commemorated on the Mayo Great War Memorial and, along with his brother Archibald on the Roll of Honour at Holy Trinity Church, South Woodford, Essex. This was Martha’s local church

From my research, I believe that these are the ‘Frizelle boys’ referred to on the memorial path at the parish church at Ballycastle.

One other brother however, served in the Great War and survived.

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• - Jonathan Frizelle
  - Casualty Details | CWGC
  

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