Willam Bendall was born in Marylebone, London, England on April 23, 1888, the son of Mahala Ann Fonvielle (of Middlesex, England). At birth, William was registerd as William George Henry Fonvielle. His siblings included Thomas (born 1889) and Mahala (born 1891). His mother, Mahala would re-marry, to Joshua Scales. William would have five half siblings: Joshua John (born 1895); Albert Edward (born 1897); Arthur Sidney (born 1899); Louis Stanley (born 1902); and Ena (born 1906). In 1912, while living in London, England, and working in the milk trade, William changed his last name to Bendall. William would marry Ethel Louisa (nee Collins, of London, England) Bendall. Ethel did not have her father’s permission to marry so they arranged a secret wedding on January 13, 1913 in London, England and they later eloped. On May 15, 1913, the couple left England (travelling steerage) aboard the passenger ship Sicilian, arriving in Quebec two weeks later. William intended to go into farming, but he had no experience. By July 1913, William and Ethelwyn, (as he referred to her as) had settled in Sarnia, at 132 Savoy Street. Their first son, William Harold George, was born in Sarnia in June 1914, however, tragically died 6 months after birth.

William enlisted September 20, 1915 in Sarnia, at the time listing his occupation as a cooper. After undergoing training in Britain, he was sent to France. He became a member of Army, Canadian Infantry, Eastern Ontario Regiment, 38th Battalion with the rank of Private. William and Ethelwyn’s second son, Denis Lendon, was born in March 1917 in London, England. On October 31, 1917, William Bendall would lose his life, as a result of wounds received while fighting during the Battle of Passchendaele, Belgium. William Bendall would later be officially listed as, Died of wounds (shrapnel wound left side, penetrating) at No. 2 Casualty Clearing Hospital. At the time of William’s death in France, his son Denis was just 7 months old. Twenty-nine year old William Bendall is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium, Grave XXI.AA.18.

SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, L, N, 2C, 2D, 2G