Rifleman William Eve and comrades of 1/16th (County of London) Battalion (Queen's Westminster Rifles), The London Regiment, outside their tent, 1914

Photograph, World War One, Home Front (1914-1918), 1914.

William Francis Eve (1894-1981) was called up on 26 August 1914. Like most Territorial soldiers he immediately volunteered for 'Foreign Service'. After forming up at Hemel Hempstead, his battalion landed at Le Havre on 2 November. The Queen's Westminster Rifles were amongst the very first Territorials to enter the line as reinforcements for the British Expeditionary Force.

Eve remained in the line until January 1915 when he was invalided home with trench foot. On recovering, he was promoted to lance-corporal and eventually commissioned in September 1915 as a second lieutenant in the 2/6th (City of London) Battalion (Rifles), The London Regiment. Unfortunately, he developed epilepsy and was invalided from the Army in July 1916.