William Wilson Hoyle
Clerk
Section 504, US Army Ambulance Service
Entered the Service from: New Jersey
Died: October 11, 1918
Buried at: Plot B Row 05 Grave 10
Suresnes American Cemetery
Suresnes, France
Introduction
Private William Wilson Hoyle was born in Pennsylvania on January 28, 1896, the son of Albertus L. and Mabel Wilson Hoyle. His parents were originally from Ohio, and had come to New Jersey in the 1890s. The Hoyle family were among the first to move into Haddon Heights, then still a part of Haddon Township NJ, as early as the summer of 1900. Their address in Haddon Heights was 111 Seventh Avenue. Albertus Hoyle worked as the superintendent of an office building.
When the United States entered World War I in April of 1917, William Hoyle, then a student at the University of Pennsylvania, answered the call to the colors. He began service with University Unit No. 4 in May of 1917. He was sent to Allentown PA for training and sailed for France on August 21, 1917. Serving with Section 504 of the United States Army Ambulance Service, William Hoyle died of pneumonia on October 11, 1918.
It should be noted that the records for the Mothers Pilgrimage list his rank as cook, rather than clerk, and he is listed as a Private in the book “Camden County in the Great War.”
William Hoyle was survived by his parents, a brother, Benjamin Hoyle, and two sisters, Eleanor Mary and Dorothy Hoyle. The Hoyle family was still on Seventh Avenue in Haddon Heights in 1930, when his mother applied for the 1930 U.S. World War I Mother’s Pilgrimage to France.
Haddon Heights Boy Dies in France
Philadelphia Inquirer —
William Hoyle, Member of Universiy [sic] of Penna. Unit, Succumbs to Pneumonia
Special to The Inquirer.
HADDON HEIGHTS, Nov. 27.— Through a letter written by James Dallas, son of Mayor Dallas, of this place, to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Hoyle, of Seventh avenue. Haddon Heights, have just learned of the death in France of their older son, William. He died on October 11 of pneumonia in a hospital near Paris. Young Hoyle, who was 23 years of age, and Dallas were among the first from this place to enlist when this country entered the war. They were students at the University of Pennsylvania and began service together in May, 1917, with the University Unit, No. 4. They trained at Allentown and sailed for France on the 21st of August, 1917.
Although the death, according to Dallas’ letter, occured [sic] on October 11, the family has not received any official notice of it, which shows how far behind the governmnet [sic] is with its casualty lists. Another son, Benjamin, is also serving in France.
Honor Roll
William Wilson Hoyle — Camden County World War I Honor Roll