Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Harratt, an agricultural labourer, born 1857 in Monks Kirby, Warwickshire and his wife Sarah Ann Harratt (nee Reeves, married on the 6th November 1883 in Monks Kirby, Warwickshire), born 1863 in Stretton on Dunsmore, Warwickshire. William was born in the on the 5th November 1888 in Monks Kirby, and was baptised on the 3 February 1889 in Monks Kirby, his siblings were, John, born 1885, Ada Sarah, born 1886 and Tom, born on the 21st November1890, all his siblings were born in Monks Kirby, in April 1891 the family home was at Bond End, Monks Kirby. In March 1901 William was residing at Main Street, Monks Kirby, Warwickshire, this being the family home of his widowed paternal grandfather, William Harratt, a retired agricultural labourer, born 1823 in Warwick, also residing in the family home was William’s paternal aunt, Jane Harratt, a domestic housekeeper, born 1851 in Monks Kirby. In April 1911 William was employed as a quarry trade worker and was residing as a boarder at Nuneaton Road, Bulkington, Warwickshire. William married Charlotte Newton on the 13th January 1917 in the Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire district, they resided at Forest Gate, Anstey, Leicestershire, in the 4th quarter of 1918, their son John William was born in Anstey, John died on the 14th November 1919. William’s two younger brother’s Tom and Joseph, both fell in action.
William attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (For the Duration of the War) on the 21st April 1915 in Leicester. He gave his place of birth as Monks Kirby, Warwickshire, his age as 26 years and 166 days and his trade or calling as collier. He gave his wife Charlotte Harratt of Forest Gate, Anstey, Leicestershire as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 5½ inches in height, weighed 130 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 34 and 36 inches. His physical development was described as good. He gave his religion as Church of England. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment as a Private, service number 3/17992 on the 21/4/15. Posted to Fort Widley on the 5/5/15. Embarked from Southampton to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 8/12/15. Disembarked and joined the Infantry Base on the 9/12/15. Joined the 3rd Entrenching Battalion on the 23/12/15. Transferred to Infantry Base, Camiers on the 24/5/16. Rejoined the 3rd Entrenching Battalion in the field on the 17/6/16. Reported sick on the 11/7/16. Admitted to the 17th Field Ambulance on the 12/7/16. Transferred to England suffering from trench fever on the 22/7/16. Admitted to the Command Depot Hospital, Ripon on the 2/10/16 – 17/11/16. Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 3/3/17. Posted to the 3rd Entrenching Battalion on the 5/3/17. Joined to 3rd Entrenching Battalion on the 19/3/17. Posted to the 8th Battalion on the 6/4/17. Joined the 8th Battalion on the 17/4/17. Granted Class II in the field on the 21/4/17. Admitted to 3rd Australian Field Ambulance suffering from a gunshot wound to the left thigh. acc. in the field on the 9/11/17. Admitted to the 10th Casualty Clearing Station on the 10/11/17. Admitted to the 26th General Hospital at Etaples on the 11/11/17. Transferred from the 26th General Hospital in Etaples aboard SS. St. Dennis to England on the 14/11/17. Admitted to the St. John Hospital, Woodlands, Southport on the 15/11/17 – 4/1/18. Transferred to Mewls Hall Auxiliary Hospital, Southport on the 4/1/18 – 19/1/18. Transferred to No.21. Command Depot at Ripon on the 23/2/18 – 12/6/18.Posted to the 3rd Reserve Battalion at Heringham on the 7/6/18. Posted to the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment at Hatcham Camp on the 18/6/18. Transferred to the 2nd Reserve Battalion Machine Gun Corps at Belton Park, Grantham on the 6/7/18. Posted to the 2nd Reserve Battalion Machine Gun Corps overseas on the 1/10/18. Embarked Folkestone on the 2/10/18. Disembarked Boulogne on the 2/10/18. Joined the Base Depot at Camiers on the 3/10/18. Joined the 32nd Battalion Machine Gun Corps in the field on the 10/10/18. Embarked for Shorncliffe aboard SS. Lydia via Dunkirk on the 30/12/18. Transferred to Class “Z” Army Reserve on demobilisation on the 27/1/19. Discharge address, Forest Gate, Anstey, Leicestershire. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 21/4/15 – 7/12/15, 231 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 8/12/15 – 23/7/16, 228 days. Home Service, 24/7/16 – 2/3/17, 222 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 3/3/17 – 14/11/17, 257 days. Home Service, 15/11/17 – 1/10/18, 321 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 2/10/18 – 29/12/18, 89 days. Home Service, 30/12/18 – 26/1/19, 28 days. Total service 3 years 281 days. William was awarded a medical pension on discharge, this was cancelled upon his death on the 11th June 1920, the disabilities for which the award of the pension was granted was pulmonary tuberculosis and a gunshot wound to his left leg. William was awarded the 1915 Star, British and Victory Medals.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
William was one of three brothers killed in WWI. Tom and Joseph were killed in 1917- a fourth brother, George, survived.
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Submitted with photographs by J. Harratt in 2014