Name
Donald George Weston
1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/09/1916
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
43816
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DELVILLE WOOD CEMETERY, LONGUEVAL
Plot XIV, Row L, Grave 2.
France
Headstone Inscription
IN GOD'S KEEPING
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Paddock Road Baptist Chapel (now Oxhey Village Baptist Church) Memorial, Oxhey, Not on the Bushey memorials(*1)
Pre War
Donald George Weston, born in Bushey, Herts, in 1898, son of Alfred Weston, a General Labourer and Mary Matilda Weston (nee Morris). One of five children, one died in childhood. Phoebe P. (B 1897), Henrietta M. (B 1900) and Charles A. (B 1903).
His parents married 23 February 1896 at Holy Trinity, Wealdstone, Middx. Mary died 1911 in Oxhey aged 42, and was buried 28 June at St James’, Bushey, Herts; Alfred died 1943 in Watford aged 81, and was buried 31 December in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford.
1901 Census records Donald aged 2, living with his parent, and two sisters, at 26, Aldenham Road, Bushey/Oxhey, Herts.
1911 Census has Donald aged 12, at School, and working as a News Boy, living with his parents, and three Siblings still at 26, Aldenham Road, Oxhey, Herts. Later that year his mother Mary died, aged 42.
Wartime Service
Donald enlisted at Watford, Herts, in June 1915, for four years in the 4th/2nd Battalion, London Regiment Territorial Force, with the service number 4596. In July 1916, Donald volunteer to serve overseas (Territorial Force Soldiers did not serve overseas) and was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps with the service number 43816. He embarked at Folkstone on 6th August 1916, for Boulogne, France, arriving the same day. At the time he enlisted he gave his address as 21 Pinner Road, Oxhey, Herts.
He was killed in action on 9 September 1916, aged 18 and is buried at Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, the third largest cemetery in the Somme battlefield area.
He is commemorated on the memorial at St Matthew’s Church, Oxhey and his name is one of five servicemen on a small stone memorial plaque belonging to Paddock Road Baptist Chapel, Oxhey.
Additional Information
There is a Death announcement for Donald in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 30 September 1916; plus In Memoriams in the issues dated 19 May 1917 [under LOVEDAY], 8 September 1917, 7 September 1918, 24 May 1919 [under LOVEDAY], and 20 September 1919. Has a entry in the National Roll of the Great War. It seems that his sister, Miss, Phoebe Weston, 44, Cafel Road, Oxhey, Watford, Herts. ordered his headstone inscription: "IN GOD'S KEEPING". The value of his effects were £2-1s-0d, Pay Owing and £5, War Gratuity which went to his sister Phoebe Weston. Son of Alfred and Mary Weston, of Oxhey, Watford, Herts. There is an article about and a Death announcement for Alfred in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 23 November 1918. Additional Information provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk. *1 Records found have recorded his birthplace as Bushey. This may be the case, however Bushey was the main postal location given for nearby villages and hamlets, so it may be that this information is misleading. If more accurate information found this will be updated.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
