William was born on the 4th October 1878 in Lancaster. He was the Elder son of Mr Alexander Satterthwaite, Grocer and J P, (Alexander had also been Mayor of Lancaster 1905-6), and Mrs Mary Jane Satterthwaite of Tunbridge Wells.

In the 1881 census the family were living at 12 King street Lancaster. William was Educated at Uppingham school from May 1893 and was a keen member of the Schools Cadet unit. On leaving school in December 1895 he then spent some time in Preston before being employed by Messrs William Thompson and Co., silk spinners, Galgate and Preston as director and assistant manager.

In his part time military career, William was appointed 2nd/Lt in the 1st Volunteer Battalion Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment on the 13th June 1900. When a 2nd Volunteer Battalion was formed he was drafted to that battalion as a Captain.

In August 1906 William passed his examination for promotion to Major but resigned his commission due to his work commitments on 11 Fed 1907. (The Territorial force replaced the Volunteers in 1908).

In 1901 census, the family were shown as living at “Edenbrook” no 10-Meeting house lane Lancaster.

In the 1911 census, Herbert was shown as living with his parents at their Residence - Brettargh House, Haverbreaks.

After the outbreak of war William applied for a Captain's commission on the 11 September 1914. It appears Captain Satterthwaite was assigned to a headquarters unit in England as in the Lancaster Guardian of 27 July 1915 he is listed as a staff Captain with effect from 19 April 1915.

His obituary states he was attached to the headquarters of the reserve infantry Brigade at this time.

William married, at St Martins London on 18 December 1915, Miss Dorothy Helen Cozens, daughter of Mr and Mrs Hyde Cozens of Paignton in Devon. Miss Cozens was on the staff of Eaton Hall hospital Chester.

William arrived in France 7 Feb. 1917 with the 2/5th Kings Own. He was mentioned in despatches for his war services to date in the London Gazette of 11 December 1917. On 2 June 1917, temporary Captain Satterthwaite was appointed Captain with precedence from 26 October 1914. Captain Satterthwaite then appears to have been at Headquarters as an acting Major and relinquished that appointment on 1 February 1918. He was then attached to 1/5 Loyal North Lancs Regiment (at the time part of 170 brigade 57 (2nd West Lancashire) division where he saw front line service acting as second in command of the Battalion. (He therefore was again an acting Major at this time)

He was killed during the routine relief of another unit (the 1/5th Loyals were taking over a section of the trenches from 2/6 Kings) on 7 June 1918.

His obituary from the Lancaster Guardian dated 15 June 1918 page 3 records that: “the letter from Lt-Col Harford states that Major Satterthwaite was talking to some officers in their trenches, when a shell landed in their midst killing Major Satterthwaite immediately, and wounded two others (Lts Edwards and Hollis) as well as two men” The war diary also records this incident as occurring in BEER trench.

William left estate valued at £5389 to his wife, then resident (1919) at 123 Warley Rd, Warley Essex.

He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal - with Oak leaf for the MID. A Memorial service was held for him at Ellel Parish Church. He is named on the Ellel War memorial.

[Williams’s younger brother Maurice served in the east African Campaign and lived near Bloemfontein.]