William Edward Steele was born in Stamford in 1897 and in 1911 he lived with his mother and stepfather at 17 Stanley Street. He worked as a telegraph messenger and his stepfather Albert Hardy was a compositor.

His father had served as a Warrant Officer in the Indian Army. William was a member of St George’s choir and he was a keen cyclist.

He enlisted on May 13th 1915 with the 8th Sherwood Foresters and also served with 1/5 Lincolnshires. ( Reg no 201271) as a drummer in the Battalion Bugle band.

After the war he worked at Blackstones and in 1921 he married Ella Cade in Stamford. He later lived at 6 Bentley Street, he died in Grimsby in September 1971.