: William was born in Minchinhampton in 1891, the son of Leonard Stevens and Prudence (nee Lock). His siblings were: Sidney (1873), Amos (1875), Carolina (1878), Benjamin (1880), Alice (1883), Andrew (1887), Nelson (1889), Emily (1892), Mary (1896), Arnold (1897) and Eva (1897).
The family lived at Forest Green, Nailsworth and William's parents were gypsy hawkers. We do not know exactly when William enlisted, but he was already with the 2nd Glosters by 1911, when the census shows him with the regiment in the Verdala Barracks in Malta. When war was declared on 4th August 1914 the 2nd Glosters were stationed at Tientsin, China but they arrived back in the UK on 8th November.
They landed in France on 18th December and were involved in various actions on the Western Front, including the Battles of Ypres in April and May 1915.
: William died from wounds on 30th May 1915 and was buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. He is also remembered on the Woodchester Wayside Cross. (See also entry for his brother Ð Andrew Stevens, Sgt 171256 Queen's Royal Rifles, Canada)
