William Houchen was born on 2 November, 1898, at Mundford, Norfolk, the second of six sons to Henry Houchen (a domestic gardener), and Emma Houchen (née Johnson), of Church Lane Cottages, Mundford. William was baptised on 27 November, 1898, at St. Leonard's Church, Mundford.

The eldest three sons all served in the First World War. the eldest, Erwin, served with the Norfolk Regiment, and the third, Frederick, served initially with the London Regiment and latterly with the Royal Army Medical Corps.

It is not known what William Houchen's occupation was before he enlisted.

William Houchen was probably conscripted in 1916, when he became 18 years of age. He enlisted at Leicester, and served initially as a Private, No. 38069, with the Leicestershire Regiment. However, he transferred to the Lincolnshire Rehiment, as a Private, No. 49289.

He then served in France with the 7th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, where he was wounded on 5 September, 1918. He was evacuated to the Military Hospital at Cork, in Ireland, where he died on 5 December, 1918, aged 20. He was buried on 10 December, 1918, at St. Leonard's Churchyard, Mundford. His service earned him the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

William Houchen's grave is marked by a private memorial, in the north-west corner of St. Leonard's Churchyard.

He is also commemorated on the Mundford war memorial, at the junction of the A134 and A1065 roads, as well as on an illuminated memorial scroll within St. Leonard's Church.