THERE' can't have been too many people who fought in the first World War and wore both army and navy uniforms, but William Henry Ruck was certainly one.

Thanks to research by Mr Ruck's son in law Peter Lewis, who is 83 and lives in Malvern Link, images have been uncovered of this unusual combatant, whose war started on the high seas and ended when he suffered severe frostbite in the trenches.

"Will was born in the village of Defford, near Pershore in 1895," said Mr Lewis. "He was 19 when he enlisted in the Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve, going on to serve with the Royal Naval Division and the Royal Marine Light Infantry before being placed under Army command.

"At the front line he served with the Drake battalion of the 63rd RN Division. It arrived in Marseilles in May 1916 moved to Abbeville on the Somme and then the Ancre River before being involved in the battle for Beaucourt in November 1916. Will was one of only 60 members of the Drake Battalion to survive the slaughter in the battle to reach what was called the

Green Line Trench.

"The valour and steadfastness of the unit was recognised and today the divisional memorial lies at the entrance to the village of Beaucourt. Conditions were terrible because the whole of the Ancre Valley was a quagmire.

"After Christmas on the Somme came the Battle of Arras and the capture of the village of Gavrelle in April 1917, in which the 63rd division showed great determination and skill. In all, the Royal Naval Division lost 47,900 men during the war.

"Will suffered frostbite during his time in the trenches. Gangrene set in and he lost the lower part of one leg and the toes off his other foot. He was invalided out on October 18, 1918 and transferred to the Queen Mary's Auxiliary Hospital and Artificial Limb Fitting Centre at Roehampton. Unfortunately, he did not enjoy good health and died in 1942 at the age of 46. He was awarded the British War and Victory medals and is buried in Defford cemetery."