BORN HULL 1891. SON OF THOMAS EDWARD WILLIS (1874-1959) & CHARLOTTE WATTS (1869-1951), OF 91 WEELSBY STREET, GRIMSBY (WAR PENSION ADDRESS). A PROFESSIONAL SOLDIER. LIVED GRIMSBY. ENLISTED GRANTHAM. ARRIVED IN FRANCE WITH THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, ON 21/09/1914. KILLED IN ACTION, AT YPRES, ON 01/11/1914, AGED 23. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS FATHER, THOMAS. HE IS COMMEMORATED ON THE MENIN GATE MEMORIAL TO THE MISSING.
HIS YOUNGER BROTHER, SKIPPER, JACK WILLIS (1905-1942), ROYAL NAVY RESERVE, WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS IN WW2. HE DIED IN EGYPT, ON 24/05/19142, AGED 36. HE LEFT A WIDOW AND SIX CHILDREN IN GRIMSBY AND WAS THE NINETH MEMBER OF THEFAMILY TO DIE SINCE THE WAR BEGAN (Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 02 June 1942)
