Name
Ralph Ebenezer Farey
1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/10/1917
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
19925
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 48 to 50 and 162A.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Baldock Town Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Baldock, Not on the Hitchin, Royston or Stevenage memorials
Pre War
Ralph Ebenezer Farey was born in Royston in 1886, the son of Daniel and Emma Farey (née Pearce) who married in 1879 in Hitchin.
In 1891 the family were living at Mill Road, Melbourn, Cambs. (near Royston)x, Hitchin. Present were both parents: Daniel (30) and Emma (31), with Daniel and working as a straw binder. Their children were Daniel John (11), Daisy Emma (6) and Ralph Ebenezer (14).
In 1901 the family were living at Football Close, Baldock. Present were both parents, with Daniel now recorded as hay and straw binder. Of their children listed above Daniel was absent. Ralph, now 14, was also working as a hay and straw binder. New siblings were Dorothy (7) and Eva (4).
Ralph’s mother Emma died in after a short illness on 10 April 1909, but his father Daniel married later the same year to Maria Reynolds in Hitchin.
On 11 January 1911 a complaint was heard at Biggleswade Magistrates Court, with Florence Circuit the complainant and Ralph as the defendant. She made an application order in relation to a child by him born on 16 November 1910.
So in 1911 the combined family, those that had not left home, were living at 17 Lancaster Road, Hitchin. Present were both Daniel (51) and Maria (45). The children present were Daniel’s daughter Eva, Maria’s nephews and nieces Cecil Reynolds (17), Winifred Reynolds (12), Fred Reynolds (9) and their joint son Albert Farey (1). Ralph was not present but was found boarding at 28 Churchyard, Hitchin, the home of the Watson family, and Ralph now 24 was employed as a coach painter.
Ralph married Alice Susan Monk on 23 August 1915 and was living in Stevenage when he enlisted in Bedford.
Wartime Service
Ralph attested in Bedford on 5 March 1915, when he was 27 years and 6 months old and enlisted with the Bedfordshire Regiment, under Regimental Number 19925, initially serving with the 4th Battalion. This Battalion were an extra 'Reserve' Battalion in August 1914, located in Bedford. As a training unit, it moved within a few days of declaration of war to Felixstowe, for duty with the Harwich Garrison, and then from 25 July 1916 was converted for war service and the battalion landed at Le Havre and came under orders of 190th Brigade in 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. Looking at this and Ralph's service below, it suggests that he served with other battalions or regiments, prior to the 4th Bn. going overseas
Following training and Home Service in the UK, Ralph was sent to France, arriving on 30 August 1915. He served until 4 January 1916, returning to France on 7 June 1916 and serving until 29 September 1916, returning to England on the 30th and again returning to France on 24 April 1917. These later periods of time in England suggest that he may have suffered significant woundings or illness.
He was killed in action on 30 October 1917 during the 2nd Battle of Passchendaele.
The 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion was in the 190th Brigade of the 63rd Division of XVIII Corps of the 5th Army. The Brigade attacked the position about Paddybeek to the west of Westrozebekeat 5.50am. The going was very bad with the men up to their knees in mud. The temperature was 44⁰F with showers. “The enemy were aware of the impending attack and a barrage came down on our troops before they moved off thereby causing heavy casualties”. The attack made little headway and the Brigade only advanced 150-200 yards. The Battalion suffered 54 dead, 157 wounded and 23 missing on that one day.
Ralph has no known grave and his name is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing in Belgium.
Additional Information
The story after his death involves quite a lot of address changes and also involves his illegitimate child.
When claiming a pension, his wife made the declaration of her marriage on 17 November 1917) – after Ralph’s death, she was living at 12 Kent Place, Union Road, Hitchin, but that was later amended to 16 Victoria Cottages, Norton Street, Baldock, but by 12 May 1918 she was at 9 Eyles Row, Queen Street, Hitchin. Her claim resulted in a pension of 13s 9d from 13 May 1918. She also received a grant of £5 on 28 January 1918.
After his death £0 19s 6d was authorised to go to his widow on 16 February 1918, then a further £1 7s 3d on 23 March 1918. Later, a war gratuity of £12 was authorised to be paid to her, on 27 November 1919.
His pension cards record his widow, living at 16 Victoria Cottages, Norton Street, Baldock, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 6s 6d a week from 13 May 1919.
A Mrs E Williams 43 Foster Street, Bedford was recorded as the guardian of an illegitimate child with a pension of 18s 2d from 15 January 1918 to 31 April 1918 then 6s 8d from 1 May 1918 to 16 November 1926. (Florence Circuit, with whom Ralph had a child, married John Williams in the Bedford Registration area in the 1st quarter of1916).
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
David C Baines, Jonty Wild, Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson
