Reading Out Loud
Focused Elements:
You can have these explanations read out loud by clicking on 'Speak Explanation' (access key 'a')
These controls are to provide alternative means of accessing the information on this page. Two main facilities are provided: adjusting the text size and listening to the text on the page.
1) Adjusting Text Size:
You can increase the text size by clicking on 'Larger' (access key '+'), and reduce it by clicking on 'Smaller' (access key '-'). You can reset the size back to its original value by clicking on 'Reset' (access key 'j')
2) Listening to the Text
You can adjust the pitch of the spoken word, the rate or speed of delivery and the volume. You can also choose the voice to use by clicking on the drop-down list. The default voice is whatever is the standard for the computer and browser you are using.
To set your default, please refer to the description in the Accessibility Statement.
There are normally three sections of text on the page that you can listen to: the headings, the main text and a selection. Click on 'Speak Headings to speak the page headings (access key 'l'). Click on 'Speak Main Text' (access key 'q') to listen to the main text.
You can also select an area of text in the page using standard select methods and click on 'Speak Selection' (access key 'w') to read the selection aloud.
You can enable the reading out loud of the element that currently has focus by clicking on 'Start Focus Speaking' (access key 'f') and you can stop this by clicking on 'Stop Focus Speaking' (access key 'd').
You can pause the audio by clicking on 'Pause' (access key 'r') and resume by clicking on 'Resume' (access key 't').
To cancel or stop the audio click on 'Cancel' (access key 'y'). To restart the current audio from the beginning, click on 'Restart' (access key 'k').
To hide the accessibility controls click on 'Hide Panel' (access key 'h')
To hide this explanation click on 'Hide Explanation' (access key 'x')
Widecombe-in-the-Moor
William Robert Smerdon Nosworthy in WW1
William (known as 'Willie') was born in Widecombe in December 1890, his father was William Robert Nosworthy and his mother Elizabeth Smerdon. William had three sisters Hilda Elizabeth, Ruby Annie and Maude Louise. The family lived at Southway Farm, Widecombe.
William attended Widecombe School from 1897, but his date of leaving is not recorded on the school records.
By the time of the 1911 Census William is listed as working on the family farm at Southway.
In February 1914 William married Annie Louisa Irish, elder sister of John Henry Irish (also killed during the Great War). The wedding service was conducted in Widecombe Church by Reverend John Kitson, brother of Robert Kitson and uncle of Walter Kitson. The couple had three children Raymond, Louisa and Bryan.
William "attested" (enlisted for Army Service) in 1914 but his call up was deferred until 1916 when compulsory conscription was introduced. Despite an appeal on the grounds he was “much needed” on the family farm, William was "called to the colours" and posted to 2nd/4th Battalion Devonshire Regiment.
The Regiment were, in 1916, serving in India, and William will have travelled to that country to join them. His stay would have been a relatively short one because in October 1917 the Battalion were sent to Palestine and in December 1917 joined the 75th Division.
The 2nd/4th Devonshires were not involved in heavy fighting when they arrived in Palestine, predominantly skirmishes with Turkish troops. They were transferred to duties at Kantara in Egypt in 1918.
Illness was a much bigger problem and caused the deaths of many men much more so than enemy action. William Robert Smerdon Nosworthy died in this manner.
William is commemorated in Kantara War Memorial Cemetery in Egypt, in Widecombe Church and on the family headstone in the churchyard. Seven years after his death his widow Annie Louisa married John Willcocks and lived to the age of 92.
Back to the list of the fallen
The information on this page was last modified on November 07 2018 13:30:37.