Name
John William Robert Thurgood
17 May 1899
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/06/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
44662
Gloucestershire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
SOISSONS MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Bishop's Stortford, All Saints Church Memorial(s), Hockerill
Pre War
OJohn William Robert Thurgood was born on 17 May 1899 in Bishop's Stortford. At birth he was registered as William John R Thurgood. It is believed his mother was Emily Thurgood (born 4 Nov 1879).
On the 1901 Census John William was living with his grandparents Charles F Thurgood, a corn merchant, and Mary Ann (nee Turner), Harriet (born 1881), Elizabeth (born 1887), Lawrence J (born 1889), Alfred (born 1891), Louisa (born 1893), Richard (born 1896) at 16, South Mill Cottages, Hockerill, Bishops Stortford.
On the 1911 Census John was living with his widowed grandmother, Mary Ann Thurgood and William (born 1883 a bricklayer), Lawrence J (a soldier) and Richard, (a golf caddy) in London Road, Bishop's Stortford. Charles F Thurgood had died in 1910.
John’s mother Emily Thurgood married Alfred William Bett in 1903 in the Windsor area.
Wartime Service
John enlisted at Saffron Walden, probably around his 18th birthday, as Private 536666 in the London Regiment. No service Record has been found for John. Later he was transferred to the Gloucestershire Regiment, as Private 44668. He went to France to join 8th (Service) Battalion in positions near Ypres and may have taken part in the Battles of Messine (10-11 Apr 1918), Ballieul (13-18 Apr1918), Kemmel( 17-19 Apr 1918) defending against the German Spring Offensive around Ypres. The Division was exchanged for Fresh French Divisions and were attached to the French Sixth Army on the Chemin-des-Dames to rest and refit. The Germans launched Operation Blucher and this developed in the Battle of the Aisne (26 May- 6 Jun 1918).
John was reported as killed in action on 7 Jun 1918 and as his body was not recovered he is remembered on the Soissons Memorial
Additional Information
His grandmother Mary A Thurgood received a War Gratuity of £3 10s and arrears of £4 17s. She did apply for a pension in September 1919 but died in 1922.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
