Name
Herbert Graves
1891.
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/07/1916
25 years
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
20098
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
"D" Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DANTZIG ALLEY BRITISH CEMETERY, MAMETZ
III.C.5.
France
Headstone Inscription
None.
UK & Other Memorials
Breachwood Green Baptist Chapel Memorial, Breachwood Green, St Mary's Church Memorial, King's Walden, Not on the Kimpton memorial
Pre War
Herbert Graves was born in Kimpton, Hertfordshire, in 1891, the son of William Graves (B 1854 in King's Walden, Herts) a Gardener and Agnes (nee Hammett) Graves (B 1857 in King's Walden, Herts).
1891 Census records Herbert aged 1 month, living at Lawrence End Lodge, Vicarage Hill, Kinpton, Herts, with his parents, sisters Ethel 9, Eva Agnes 5, brothers William F. 8 and Ernest 3.
In 1895 his mother Agnes died.
1901 Census records Herbert aged 10, living with his widower father, brothers William F. 18, Ernest 13 and sister Eva Agnes 15, at The Lodge, Kimpton, Herts.
By 1911 the family had
moved to Breachwood Green, Herts. Herbert now aged 20, was working as a Grocers
Assistant, living with his widower father and sister Eva Agnes. His father’s
sister Lucy Graves was also living with the family.
Wartime Service
Herbert volunteered in March 1915, enlisting in Bedford, posted to the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, with the service No 20098.
"D" Company was in support of the assaulting companies on 1st July 1916, they crossed 'no man’s land' but came under heavy machine gun fire from the second line German trenches, they also stormed Pommier Redoubt. Casualties for the first day of the Somme were: Killed 72, Wounded 325, Missing 6, Died of wounds 9. Herbert was one of those Killed in Action that day.
He his final resting place is the CWGC
Danzig Alley British Cemetery, Memetz, Somme, France.
Additional Information
His effects of £6-17s-11d, pay owing and £5 War Gratuity went to his father William Graves. Part of 54th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division, XIII Corps. Extract from the Battalion War Diary 26-7-15. 1.45pm 7th Bedford’s left Codford for service aboard. Marching out strength 820 and 31 officers arrived Folkstone at 8.30 and embarked with 54th Brigade HQ on S.S. Onward. On arrival at Boulogne sur Mer the battalion marched to Ostronove Rest Camp.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Paul Johnson, June Colegrove, Mark Morgan
