William Doy was born on 24th August 1894 in Colkirk. His father's family came from , and his mother's family came from Gt. Ryburgh, Norfolk.

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William's mother was Harriet Doy nee Ainger and his father was Arthur Doy. William was the couple's only son. William had five sisters:

Bertha born 1889 died 13.1.1990 (aged 102) -Married Herbert Reeve

Ruth born 1890 died 1962- Married Sidney Sawyer

Thurza born 1891 died in 1980 -Married Robert Altoe

Emma Laura born 1892 died 1919

Bessie born 1897 died in 1902

William's mother died in childbirth in 1901 when William was only 6 years old. William's father was unable to care for his children and they all went to live with different relatives. William lived with his father's sister and her husband, Samuel and Georgina Nelson at 48, Road Gt. Ryburgh. Living in the Nelson household were the couples own sons, one of their son's, Ernest Nelson also joined up and was killed on 21st September 1918.

William attended Gt. Ryburgh School. He left school and worked on a local farm until he enlisted September 1914. William enlisted only a month after war was declared William enlisted initially for one year on 3rd September 1913. His service number is: 13497

He joined the 8th Norfolk 8th (Service) Battalion in September 1914. The Norfolk Regiment was raised at in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army and joined 53rd Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. In October 1914 the Battalion moved to Colchester and then moved to Salisbury Plain in May 1915. On 25th July 1915 the Battalion mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne.

Since 14th October 1914 French and English troops had occupied the area around Ypres. The British and French put up a defence to block the route for the German Army through Ypres to the ports on the French and Belgian coast. This is where the 8th Norfolk joined forces with other Regiments.

The Norfolk Regiment engaged in various actions on the Western front including;

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The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Thiepval Ridge, The Battle of the Ancre Heights, The Battle of the Ancre.

In 1916 William would have seen action on The Somme, The Battle of Albert capturing their objectives near Montauban, The Battle of Bazentin Ridge including the capture of Trones Wood, The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Thiepval Ridge, The Battle of the Ancre Heights playing a part in the capture of the Schwaben Redoubt and Regina Trench and The Battle of the Ancre.

On 22nd October 1917 after serving from July 1915 on the front line William was killed in action his body is buried in Leper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

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William's three sister's Thurza, Bertha and Ruth

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It is believed that William was awarded The British War Medal, The Victory Medal and the 1914 Star. On 22 October 1917 at the age of 23 he was killed, and was buried in Leper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. William nominated Georgiana Nelson to receive his medals and his war gratuity of £6.11.8d.

William's father remarried and his second wife Verena is incorrectly listed as William's mother on the Tyne Cott Memorial.

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