December 1915

Bedfordshire Regiment Roll of Honour

Wednesday 1st December 1915  

Killed in Action 

1st Battalion: killed tunnelling near Fricourt – Trench 73 

• 19024 Private Charles BETTLES, born and resided Eaton Socon (Citadel New Military Cemetery, Fricourt) 

• 8912 Private Henry KING, born London, resided Eltisely [Cambridgeshire] (Citadel New Military Cemetery, Fricourt) 

Thursday 2nd December 1915  

Died of Wounds 

1st/5th Battalion 

• 5008 Lance Corporal Leonard Edwin BOWYER, resided Clapham (Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery) 

Friday 3rd December 1915 

Killed in Action  

7th Battalion: front line trenches at Fricourt 

• 14698 Private Robert William BUSH, 28, A Company, son of William and Rebecca Bush of 9 School Street, Caerphilly [Glamorgan] (Point 110 Old Military Cemetery, Fricourt) 

Died  

3rd Battalion 

• 22053 Private William Cyril PERKINS, 29, son of Frederick and Emma Perkins of Weston Underwood [Buckinghamshire], husband of May Lilian of 9 Cowper Street, Olney [Buckinghamshire], born and resided Weston Underwood (Weston Underwood (Saint Laurance) Churchyard) 

Saturday 4th December 1915 

Killed in Action  

7th Battalion: front line trenches at Fricourt 

• 14364 Private Francis CLEWS, 20, son of William and Rhoda Clews of 5 Alfred Street, Dunstable (Point 110 Old Military Cemetery, Fricourt) 

Died of Wounds  

6th Battalion 

• 12404 Private Benjamin George OAKLEY, born Saint Pancras [London], resided Hemel Hempstead [Hertfordshire] (Humbercamps Communal Cemetery Extension) 

Monday 6th December 1915 

Died of Wounds  

6th Battalion 

• 12484 Private Charles WALKER, born and resided Islington [London] (Humbercamps Communal Cemetery Extension) 

Friday 10th December 1915 

Killed in Action  

1st Battalion: killed in mining fatigue near Fricourt 

• 3/7447 Private James BROWN, born and resided Northampton (Citadel New Military Cemetery, Fricourt) 

Saturday 11th December 1915 

Died  

7th Battalion 

• 19819 Private David Arthur HORNBY, 36, son of John Hornby of 39 Frogs Hall, Hertford (Villers-Bocage Communal Cemetery Extension) 

Wednesday 15th December 1915  

Died of Wounds  

2nd Battalion 

• 9792 Private Bertram BYGRAVE, born and resided Stotfold (Stotfold Cemetery) 

Friday 17th December 1915 

Killed in Action 

7th Battalion: front line trenches at Fricourt 

• 15692 Private Leonard James WOODFINE, born Lewisham [London], resided Catford [London] (Point 110 Old Military Cemetery, Fricourt) 

8th Battalion: Camp C near Ypres 

• Temporary Captain Rupert Harold GRETTON, 30, son of John and Mary Louise Gretton of Sudbury Hall [Derbyshire], born Cowes [Isle of Wight] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

Sunday 19th December 1915  

Killed in Action  

8th Battalion: trenches at Forward Cottage near Ypres - German gas and artillery attack 

• 16782 Private Arthur KIDMAN, born and resided Eltisley [Cambridgeshire] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres)  

• 15986 Private George Henry LAST, 27, son of John and Alice Last of 65 Southgate Street, Bury-Saint-Edmund's [Suffolk] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

• 19479 Private George SWALES, 23, son of Susan Swales of Ramsey [Huntingdonshire] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

• 16760 Private Claude Shaw WELLS, born Saint Pancras [London], resided Finsbury [London] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres)  

• 17421 Private Cecil WOODS, born Kempston, resided Bedford (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres)  

Died of Wounds  

8th Battalion 

• Temporary Lieutenant Charles James WILLIAMS, 28, son of Henry Clissold Williams ICS and Mary Williams, of 16 The Beacon, Exmouth [Devon] , solicitor, BA and BCL (Cantab) (Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery) 

Monday 20th December 1915 

Killed in Action  

8th Battalion: relieved from front line cottage near Forward Cottage, Ypres - intense shelling 

• 19862 Sergeant John Charles ANDERSON, born and resided Waltham Abbey [Essex] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

• 15596 Private Ralph CHAMBERLAIN. 26, A Company, Somerset of Simon and Charlotte Chamberlain of North End, Bassingbourn [Cambridgeshire], born Tottenham [Middlesex] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

• 19999 Private Hubert JOHNSON, 23, son of John and Mary Ann Johnson of Berden Road, Stocking Pelham [Hertfordshire] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

• 3/8639 Acting Company Sergeant Major George MATTHEWS, 39, son of Edmund and Mary Ann Matthews, born Little Hadham [Hertfordshire], resided West Ham [Essex] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

• 16646 Private Arthur Charles MONEY born Mayfair [London], resided Piccadilly [London] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

• 15306 Private Francis William OAKLEY, born Standon [Hertfordshire], resided Little Hadham [Hertfordshire] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

• 16438 Corporal Albert Reginald RICHARDSON, 31, husband of Amy Maud Ellen of 13 Thurlow Street, Bedford, resided Watford [Hertfordshire] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

• 15875 Private Gordon Baptiste TOLHURST, 22, son of Edith Mary Tolhurst of 110 Albacore Crescent, Lewisham [London], born Grays [Essex], resided Pimlico [London] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

Died of Wounds 

7th Battalion 

• 15605 Private John HEBBS, 28, son of Elizabeth Hebbs of 7 West Common, Redbourn [Hertfordshire] (Corbie Communal Cemetery)  

8th Battalion 

• Private Thomas KINGSLEY, 21, youngest son of Charles and Tamar Kingsley of Therfield [Hertfordshire] (Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery) 

Died  

3rd Battalion 

• 22735 Private George LAWRENCE, 33, son of Walter and Emily Lawrence of 38 Warwick Road, Saint Albans [Hertfordshire], born Sandridge [Hertfordshire] (Saint Albans (Hatfield Road) Cemetery) 

Tuesday 21st December 1915 

Killed in Action  

6th Battalion: working parties for front line trenches at Bienvillers-au-Bois 

• 12593 Private Charles BATCHELOR, born Great Gaddesden [Hertfordshire], resided Hemel Hempstead [Hertfordshire] (Bienvillers Military Cemetery) 

Died of Wounds  

8th Battalion 

• 19630 Private Edward COSTIGAN, 46, husband of Annie of 2 Saint Ann's Gardens, Kentish Town [London], born Tullomoy [Laois] (Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery) 

• 19632 Private Henry James ELLIS, 36, husband if Jessica Frances of 21 Harley Road, Finsbury Park [London], born and resided Saint Pancras [London] (Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery) 

• Second Lieutenant Cyril Shaw SHIPPEY (Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery) 

• 3/7538 Private William SMITH, born Maulden, resided Toddington (Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery) 

Wednesday 22nd December 1915 

Died of Wounds  

7th Battalion 

• 14995 Private Harry GAYLOR, 22, C Company, son of George and Emma Gaylor of Howe Green, Little Berkhamstead [Hertfordshire] (Méaulte Military Cemetery) 

Friday 24th December 1915  

Died  

1st/5th Battalion 

• 4546 Private Ernest EDDY, son of Frank Eddy of Back Street, Clophill, (Portianos Military Cemetery, Lemnos) 

Saturday 25th December 1915 

Died of Wounds  

1st Battalion 

• 4/7103 Private Charles Edward GARNER, born and resided Sacombe [Hertfordshire] (Corbie Communal Cemetery) 

8th Battalion 

• 15787 Private Eric Arthur WHITAKER, 20, son of Francis Henry and Emma Whitaker of Old Bell Inn, Standon [Hertfordshire] (Étaples Military Cemetery) 

• 19527 Private Samuel YERRELL, 50, husband of A Yerrell of 2 Scotts Row, Ramsey [Huntingdonshire], born Wyboston (Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery) 

Monday 27th December 1915 

Died  

1st Battalion 

• 8857 Private George DALE, son of George Perry and Martha Dale of 16 Huntsworth Terrace, Marylebone [London], born Kensington [London] (Hampstead Cemetery) 

Tuesday 28th December 1915  

Killed in Action  

8th Battalion: front line at Forward Cottage and canal bank near Ypres 

• 16747 Private Levi BROWN, born Datchworth [Hertfordshire], resided Knebworth [Hertfordshire] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

• 16348 Private Richard JAKINS, 20, son of Camilla Beales of Leamington House, New Harrowden, born Toseland [Huntingdonshire], resided Saint Neots [Huntingdonshire] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres) 

• 16389 Private Leonard George WHITBREAD, born Stantonbury [Buckinghamshire], resided Leighton Buzzard (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres)  

Died of Wounds  

8th Battalion 

• 17312 Private Alban Claude CASTLE, 38, son of Robert G and Mary A Castle, husband of May of 26 Markfield Road, Tottenham [Middlesex], born and resided Ware [Hertfordshire] (Étaples Military Cemetery)  

Died  

2nd Battalion 

• 18030 Lance Corporal Leonard Edwin PETTIT, 25, son of James and Elizabeth Pettit of Bletsoe (Étaples Military Cemetery) 

Wednesday 29th December 1915 

Killed in Action  

8th Battalion: relieved from front line at Forward Cottage, heavily shelled 

• 19882 Private Henry Edward SEAR, 22, son of George and Maria Sear of Ivy Cottages, Rads End, Eversholt, born London, resided Aspley Guise (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres)