Name
Reuben John Wells
27/08/1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/10/1916
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
291367
Suffolk Regiment
14th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GRANGEGORMAN MILITARY CEMETERY
CE New Plot 707.
Republic of Ireland
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Goff's Oak Village War Memorial, St James Church Memorial Goffs Oak, Goff's Oak Street Name, Cheshunt Town Memorial, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Reuben John Wells was born in Goffs Oak, Hertfordshire, on 27th August 1895, the son of John Joseph Wells a, Domestic Gardener and Harriet Amelia Wells (nee Aldridge). The eldest of ten children.
Baptised on 29th September 1895 at St James Church, Goffs Oak, Herts.
Reuben attended Goffs Oak Primary School from August 1900, then St James School and finally Dewhurst Endowed Boys School, Cheshunt, leaving in July 1909 to go to work.
1901 Census records Reuben aged 5, living with his parents, sisters Ethel (4), Elizabeth (3 months) and brother Henry (2) in Burton Lane, Goffs Oak, Cheshunt, Herts.
1911 Census, Reuben now aged 15, has left school and is working as a Nursery Hand, living with his parents, brothers Henry (12), Charles (5) and five sisters, still in Burton Lane.
The family later moving to 1, Goffs Oak Avenue, Goffs Oak, Herts.
Wartime Service
Reuben travelled to the County town of Hertford to enlisted, posted to the Hertfordshire Regiment with the service number 4106, Later transferred to the Suffolk Regiment with the service number 291367.
Reuben was aboard the RMS Leinster (a Mailboat) on the morning of 10th October 1918, Enrout from Kingstown, Dublin, to Holyhead, Anglesey, North Wales, when she was Torpedoed, just outside of Dublin Bay, in the Irish Sea, just before 10am. By the German U-Boat UB 123, under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Robert Ramm. The exact number of deaths is unknown but believed to be in excess of 564. His body was recovered, and he is buried in Grangegorman Military Cemetery, Cabra, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. It is believed at the time of his death Reuban was attached to the 12th Officer Cadet Battalion, with the Rank of Lance Corporal.
Additional Information
His effects of £21-15s-07, pay owing and his war gratuity of £22-10s-00d, went to his father John Wells.
The RMS Leinster was believed to be carrying a crew of 77, 100 British Civilians, 22 Postal Sorters working in the Mail Room, 500 Military Personal from the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force and Nurses from Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and the United States.
Nine days after the sinking of the RMS Leinster while crossing the North Sea back to Germany UB-123 detonated a mine with the loss of all hands. UB-123 is believed to have had a crew of 36.
In June 1997 Broxbourne Borough Council received a suggestion from the Chairman of Goffs Oak Community Association to name roads to commemorate the men who lost their lives in the two world wars who are displayed on the Goffs Oak War Memorial. It was decided that these names should be used for the large development in Hammond Street Road, this soldier has one of the surnames chosen: "Wells Close" – the reason for the names selected (as opposed to others) is not known.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Brian Lodge
