William Newitt was born in Kingsey, Bucks on 29th January 1891 the youngest of five children to Henry and Anne Newitt.

He was well known in the district and was at one time a member of the village cricket club and also a member of the church choir. He  was employed by Mr John Young of the Four Horse Shoes Hotel, Thame where he was greatly appreciated by all.

In March 1910 he emigrated to Canada where he joined his brother Frank on a farm in Marquette, Manitoba.

William joined the Canada Infantry on 3rd March 1916 and served in the 13th Btn of the Quebec Regiment which landed in England on October 4th . His hopes that he would be able to obtain leave to visit his home and friends after being away so long, were dashed when his regiment was ordered to France in November and no leave was granted.

William was killed in action in France on 9th April 1917 during the second Battle of Arras, when he was 29 years of age.

He is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial near Arras in France and is remembered on the memorial board in St Nicolas’s Church Kingsey.