Name
Joseph Element
1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/02/1917
40
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
23699
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WIMEREUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY
II. E. 1.
France
Headstone Inscription
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN PEACE PERFECT PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, Not on the Apsley End memorial, Not on the Chipperfield memorials
Pre War
Joseph Element was born in 1882 in Chipperfield, Kings Langley, Herts (Hemel Hempstead district), the son of John and Sarah Element, and was baptised on 2 July 1882 in Chipperfield, Hertfordshire. He was one of six children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Bucks Hill Bottom, Watford, Herts, where his father was working as a general labourer. His father died in 1897, aged 46 and on the 1901 Census Joseph was living with his widowed mother and siblings at 63 Chapel Street, Hemel Hempstead and working as a Horseman on a Farm.
The family later moved to 11 Two Waters Road, Boxmoor with Joe and his three younger brothers all working as agricultural labourers and living at home with their mother.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Bedford in December 1915 and joined the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, being sent to Felixstowe for basic training. He was sent to France on 25 July 1916 and fought in the Battle of Ancre in November. They remained in the area until early February 1917 when they were in action at Miraumont and were involved in heavy fighting, resulting in heavy casualties.
N.B. Records differ as to how Joe died.
The National Roll of the Great War states that he volunteered in 1915 and went to France the same year, taking part in fighting at Hill 60, Ypres, the Somme, Givenchy and many other engagements, and says he was killed in action in March 1918. and entitled to 14-15 Star as well as General Service and Victory medals. However the medal index cards do not support this information as there is no record of the 1915 Star and the date of death is 1917 not 1918 although the address of 11 Two Waters Road appears to be correct.
Pension record cards also give conflicting information, one says died of pneumonia, whilst the other says killed in action.
'Soldiers Died in the Great War' records state he 'died', which usually suggest died from illness rather than wounds, which would perhaps suggest that he died from pneumonia.
Registers of Soldiers' Effects state that he died from wounds received in France.
He may well have been wounded in action and also contracted pneumonia, dying a few days later on 21 February 1917. He is buried at Wimereux Communal Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His mother, Mrs S Element, 11 Two Waters Road, Apsley End, Hemel Hempstead, Herts,, ordered his headstone inscription: "GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN PEACE PERFECT PEACE". His mother received a war gratuity of £4 10s and pay owing of £2 12s, she also received a pension of 3 shillings a week. N.B. Although CWGC gives his first name as Joe it is the only record to do so, other records give his full name as Joseph. His brother George served with the Royal Field Artillery and was severely gassed but survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com.
