Name
Oswald Thresher
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/10/1918
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Royal Engineers
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HAIFA WAR CEMETERY
Row A, Grave 48.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Bushey Town Memorial, St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey, St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, St Matthew’s Church Roll of Honour, Oxhey
Pre War
Born in Stoke Newington, Essex in 1882, Oswald Thresher, was the elder son of Samuel Bennet Burt and Edith Ann (nee Lewington) Thresher. His parents were married in 1880 in the registration district of South Stoneham.
At the 1891 census, Oswald was nine years old and living at 21 Grove Terrace, East Ham, in Essex with his parents and two siblings, seven-year-old Albert and three-year-old Lucy. Samuel and Edith were both 33 years old and Samuel was working as a wine merchant’s clerk. Birthplaces were given as Shirley in Southampton for Samuel and Edith and Stoke Newington in London for all three children.
The Imperial Yeomanry Records for 1899 to 1902 records that Oswald signed up on 28 January 1901 at 13a Cockspur Street, London, for short service, initially with the 18th Battalion of the Imperial Force, His attestation form shows he was 19 years 11¾ month old, 6 feet 1½ inches in height, of fair complexion with grey eyes and brown hair. He gave his next of kin as S Thresher of 43 Parsons Green Lane, Fulham.
He served at home as Private 21657 until 13 March 1901 and then posted to South Africa from 14 March 1901 through to 9 August 1902 where he served with the 23rd Battalion, 83rd Company. He was promoted to Corporal and then to Sergeant, with effect from 15 April 1901. He returned to home service and was discharged at Aldershot on 16 August 1902, his intended place of residence being 24 Harpenden Road, Norwood. He was entitled to the Queen’s South African Medal, plus three clasps. His conduct and character was recorded as very good.
The 1901 census records that Oswald’s family had moved to 43 Parsons Green Lane in Fulham and Samuel then had his own business as a wine merchant. Also present were Edith, Albert and lucy and Albert was working as a wine merchant’s clerk.
Oswald married Grace Elizabeth Hyatt on 2 September 1909 at St Andrew’s Church in Stoke Newington. They were 27 and 26 years old respectively and Oswald was working as a Mercantile Clerk. Oswald was living at St Leonards, Streatham and Grace was living at 55 Bethune road in Stoke Newington.
At the 1911 census, Oswald and Grace were living at ‘East Bank’, 34 Avenue Rise in Bushey. Oswald was working for a Brewery as Manager of their Wine and Sprit Department and Agencies Department. They had two sons, the first named Felix, who was baptised at St James’ Parish Church in 1913, and Marcus who was born in Bushey in 1914.
Wartime Service
Oswald enlisted initially as Sergeant 2259 with the 16th (County of London) Battalion of the London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles). He was discharged on 29 April 1915 to take up a commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers and was subsequently gazetted on 2 September 1915 to temporary Lieutenant. He served as Lieutenant in France, Egypt and Palestine and died on 2 October 1918 of wounds received in action. He was entitled to the Victory and British War medals. The address for Grace shown on his medal card was 32, Cyril Mansions, Battersea, London.
Following his death, the following details of his service were recorded in the Bushey Parish Magazine: “The death of Mr Oswald Thresher, from wounds received during the recent fighting in Palestine has come as a shock to his many friends in Bushey and Watford. Always a keen and efficient soldier, he was just giving up his long membership in the Queen's Westminsters when war broke out. He served from the first, at home, in France and then in Egypt and Palestine. Mr Thresher was a sidesman and a keen member of the CEMS (Church of England Missionary Society). Always bright, courteous and obliging, he was just the one to commend the Faith he believed in, and to help other realize their best side in life. We offer our sincere condolences to Mrs Thresher and family.”
He was buried in Haifa War Cemetery, grave reference A 48, and the headstone includes a Personal Inscription, which reads: “WE FEEBLY STRUGGLE THEY IN GLORY SHINE”. Oswald is also commemorated on the Bushey Memorial and at the churches of St James’ in Bushey and St Matthew’s in Oxhey.
There is a brief article about and a Death announcement for Oswald in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 19 October 1918.
The Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects named Grace as the legatee and included a payment of £176 8s. 9d. made on 17 July 1919. There is an entry for Oswald in the National Probate Calendar for 1919, which reads: “THRESHER Oswald of 78 Oxley-avenue Bushey Hertfordshire lieutenant R.E died 2 October 1918 in Palestine Administration London 21 March to Grace Elizabeth Thresher widow. Effects £604 15s. 2d.”
Grace and family subsequently moved to 32 Cyril Mansions, Battersea, London. Felix became an RFC and RAF Pilot officer and died off the Norfolk coast near Sheringham in 1938, aged 26. Marcus became a Lieutenant in the First Battalion of the Queen’s Royal Regiment and died the same year in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, aged 24. Their mother died in 1969 at the age of 85.
Edith died, aged 5, on 26 September 1923 in Streatham, Surrey. The 1939 England and Wales Register lists Samuel living at The Birch Hotel, Lewes Road, Cuckfield in Sussex, with a business as a Wholesale Wine and Sprit Merchant. He died, aged 84, on 2 May 1942 in Maidenhead, Berkshire. It is not known whether there is any link to the present-day business of Threshers Wine Company.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
Additional information: provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
