THE VILLAGERS OF COLLINGHAM AND LINTON WHO SERVED IN WORLD WAR TWO

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This site commemorates the men and women of Collingham and Linton who served during World War 2.
Chambers, William
(1918-1980)
 
Full World War 2 medal rolls are not yet available. Where medal ribbons shown, those are the awards we believe would have been awarded, taken from information on the service records or surviving medal cards. Where no ribbons are shown we do not have any information on medal entitlement. We apologise if there are errors in the awards shown.

Rank and Unit at End of World War Two

Rank Sergeant

Service Army

Battalion

Regiment Royal Army Medical Corps

Connection with Collingham, Linton or Micklethwaite and reason for inclusion on this web site
  • Lived in Collingham or Linton immediately prewar or during the war
    (Usually taken from 1938 electoral roll or 1939 National Registration roll)
  • Named as a Voter on the 1945 or 1946 Service List Electoral Roll for Collingham or Linton
  • Address in 1939 or 1945/46: Apricot Cottage, Collingham
    (taken from either the 1939 National Registration or the 1945 and/or 1946 service electoral rolls)

Biography

Family background

William Chambers was born on th 9th July 1918 in Collingham, the son of George William Chambers and his wife, Alice Maud Chambers. The family lived at Main Street, Collingham and George was a porter working for the North Eastern Railway.

Records show the Chambers family lived in Main Street and then at Apricot Cottage, Collingham for over forty years from at least 1919.

In 1939, as war started, the family were living at Apricot Cottage and George was described by this time as a market gardener. Alice looked after the home and William was a 'joiner, carpenter and gardener'. He was single, 21 years old and so was of the age and marital status to be conscripted for war service.

Service record

We do not yet have a full picture of William's service, but when he married on the 15th August 1942, the Wetherby News carried an article about his marriage to Phyllis Thompson that describes William as a Sergeant in the Royal Army Medical Corps. We don't know if this was his first posting, if he served in another unit first, or where he served.

During the war, William's mother (1943) and father (1945) both died and are buried in Collingham cemetery.

After the war

After the war William was demobilised and by 1946 was back living at Apricot Cottage, Collingham. William and Phyllis remained at Apricot Cottage for many years and we find them listed on the electoral rolls through the 1960s.

William Thompson died on the 3rd December 1980.

Biography last updated 22 October 2025 12:50:31.

If you have any photographs or further details about this person we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact us via: alan.berry@collinghamanddistrictwararchive.info