Name
Harry John Stockman
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/09/1918
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
G/36743
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
attached 2nd/20th (County of London) Bn. (Blackheath & Woolwich Rifles) London Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL
Panel 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Sun Engraving Company Memorial, Watford,
Bushey Memorial, Clay Hill,
St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey,
Not on the Colney Heath memorials
Pre War
Born in Islington on 31 March 1890 and baptised on 16 May 1907 at St James’ church in Bushey, Harry John Stockman was the son of Herbert Joseph and Emma (nee Bird) Stockman. They were married on 22 February 1885 at All Saints in Notting Hill, London.
At the 1891 census, Harry was one year old and living with his parents and two-year-old sister, Ethel, at 164 Downham Road in Islington. Herbert and Emma were 27 and 28 years old respectively, and Herbert was working as a G.P.O. porter. The birthplaces were given as Ludgate Hill in London for Herbert, Dedham (near Colchester) in Essex for Emma and Islington for both children.
By the time of the 1901 census, the family had moved to Thetford House, 34 Park Road in Bushey. Herbert is still working for the G.P.O, now as a storeman. Ethel is no longer listed, but Harry now had three younger siblings. They were named Edwin, Florence and Arthur, were 8, 7 and 3 years old respectively, and had all been born Islington.
There is a G.P.O. record which shows a Harry Stockman being employed in June 1905 as a store boy in their London stores, but it is not certain whether that is the correct Harry.
The family were still living at 34 Park Road, Bushey at the 1911 census and Herbert is still employed as a storeman in the G.P.O. stores in London. Harry was now working as a labourer at a local print works, as was his younger brother, Edwin Thomas. Arthur Victor and nine-year-old Alfred Leslie were both at school, and Florence Nellie was ‘living at home’. The record also shows that Herbert and Emma had nine children, four of whom had died in childhood.
Wartime Service
Harry Stockman enlisted in Watford as Private T/4/107956 with the Royal Army Service Corps. He later served in France and Flanders as Lance Corporal G/36743 with 2/20th Battalion of the London Regiment, attached to the Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment.
Harry married Lilian May Poplett in January 1916 in the registration district of Watford and there is a Marriage announcement for them in the Observer dated 15 January 1916. They had one child, named Kenneth John, who was born on 10 September 1917.
Harry was killed in action, aged 28, on 14 September 1918. He is remembered with honour at Vis-En-Artois Memorial in France and is also commemorated on the Bushey Memorial and at St James’ Parish Church in Bushey. He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 2 June 1915. A letter of sympathy from an officer states that the deceased was a very gallant soldier and his company commander, who was killed in action a few days previously, had a very high opinion of him.
Harry’s death was recorded in The Herts Mercury on 12 Oct 1918. There is also an article about and a Death announcement for Harry in the West Herts and Watford Observer, dated 5 October 1918, and an In Memoriam in the issue dated 20 September 1919.
The pension card for Harry named his widow Lilian, of 14 Park Road, Bushey, as his dependant and showed an award of 20s 5d. per week with effect from 7 April 1919 and a death grant of £6 paid on 17 October 1918. The Registers of Soldiers’ Effects also showed payments to Lilian of £6 18s. 9d. on 4 March 1919 and £13 17s. 5d. on 14 April 1919.
The Additional Information section of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site states “Son of Herbert Stockman, of The Cock Inn, Colney Heath, St. Albans; husband of Lilian May Stockman, of 14, Park Rd., Bushey, Herts.”
The C.W.G.C. site also states he served with the Royal West Kent, attached to the 2/20th Battalion of the London Regiment. However, based on the entry in the Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, it is believed this should be the reverse, as stated above, and it is understood the 2/20th Battalion became closely linked to the Royal West Kent Regiment during the Great War and their museum has a display cabinet dedicated to the 2/20th Battalion of the London Regiment.
Lilian never remarried, and died 1977 in the Watford district aged 87. Emma died in 1928 in Watford, aged 65, and was buried 13 October at St James’ church in Bushey. Herbert died in 1933 in Harpenden, Herts, aged 70, and was buried 4 November, also at St James’ church.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
There is an article about and a Death announcement for Harry in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 5 October 1918; plus an In Memoriam in the issue dated 20 September 1919.
Additional information provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
