Name
Jessie Froy
1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/04/1917
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
47782
Welsh Regiment
15th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MENDINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY
II. B. 18.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Rest in God's gracious keeping
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, Holy Saviour Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Not on the Stevenage (Old Town) memorials(*1)
Pre War
Jesse (junior) was born in 1879 in Hitchin and his parents were Jesse and Sarah Froy.
In 1881 the family were living at Lyles Row, Hitchin. Present were both parents: Jesse (28) and Sarah (28), with Jesse (senior) and working as a bricklayer and Sarah a straw plaiter. They had two children Margaret (8) and Jesse (1).
By 1891 the family had moved to 45 Florence Street, Hitchin. Present were both parents and the children listed above, who now had a new sibling Ada (6).
We believe that Sarah died in 1896, Jessie (senior) remarried, his new wife being Lizzie Tansley and they married 1897. The home remained at 45 Florence Street, Hitchin and in 1901 Jesse (senior) continuing to work as a bricklayer and his new wife Lizzie was present as were Jessie (junior) and Ada.
Jessie (junior) married Emma Forder in 16 November 1901 in Stevenage and by 1911 they were living at 49 Dacre Road, Hitchin, Herts. and Jessie was working as a bricklayer . The census recorded they had been married for 2 years with 2 children, both living and they were Ada (8) and Albert Ernest (6).
He had worked for Mr W Reeves as a bricklayer.
Officially Jessie was recorded as born and enlisting in Hitchin.
Wartime Service
His National Roll of the Great War entry records that he joined July 1916 (probably by conscription), and after training was drafted to France . Is recorded as fighting in the Battle of Third Ypres and subsequent engagements
He was given the Regimental Number 47782 in the 15th Battalion of the Welsh Regiment having previously been in the Royal Engineers. The Battalion was in the 114th Brigade of the 38th Division.
He died as a result of gunshot and shrapnel wounds received in Belgium on the 30th March 1917, before he could be returned to the UK and is buried in Plot 2, Row B, Grave 18 in the Mendinghem Military Cemetery in Proven in Belgium.
This was the location of the 200 bed 46th Casualty Clearing Station. The name of the cemetery is a play on the Flemish language as used by the British troops. A private inscription on the stone reads "Rest in God's gracious keeping".
Additional Information
After his death £5 11s 2d was authorised to go to his widow, Emma, on 6 July 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £3 was authorised to be paid to him/her, on 29 October 1919.
His pension cards record Emma (b 16/8/1880) as his widow, as his next of kin and living at 49 Dacre Road, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 22s 11d a week from 22 October 1917. It als records their two children Ada (b 28/7/1902) and Albert Ernest (b 28/11/1903).
*1 Jesse is also commemorated on his 'in laws's grave in Stevenage (St. Nicholas) Churchyard. His part of the inscription is too difficult to read from the images currently available to us.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
