Name
Sidney Walter Hedges
19 Apr 1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/04/1918
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
28398
Northamptonshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ROSIERES COMMUNAL CEMETERY
II. A. 9.
France
Headstone Inscription
VIRTUS LAUDATA CRESCIT REMEMBRANCE
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted - Berkhamsted Collegiate School, Tring Town Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Tring
Pre War
Sidney Walter Hedges was born in Tring ion 19 Apr 1897 to Thomas Hedges, plumber, and Susanna Elizabeth (nee Sherman).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Mary Elizabeth (born 1888), Robert (born 1890), John Thomas (born 1891), Sidney Walter were living at Parsonage Place, Tring.
Sidney’s father, Thomas Hedges died in 1907.
On the 1911 Census Sidney was living with his widowed mother at 55, Western Road, Tring together with Herbert (born 1883, surveyor & sanitary inspector), Robert (plumber), John Thomas (carpenter’s apprentice).
Wartime Service
Sidney enlisted in Oct 1916 in the Northamptonshire Regiment as Private 28398 and following training went to France around Feb 1917 on posting to 6 (Service) Battalion of the Regiment, part of 54 Brigade 18 (Eastern )Division. During the German Spring Offensive in 1918 Sidney was wounded and captured, no detail was found but may have been sometime in late March or early April. Sidney is recorded as being a Prisoner of War when he died of his wounds in a German Reserve Hospital at Rosieres.
From the Tring Parish Magazine:: “Sidney Walter Hedges, L/CPL, 6th Northants Regt joined the army in October 1916 and went to Halton Camp for three months training. He then immediately proceeded to France where he remained until his death. He was, apparently, severely wounded during the German offensive of the spring and was taken prisoner by the enemy. He died in a German Field Reserve Hospital on April 16th and was buried in a cemetery reserved for prisoners. He leaves behind him a pleasant memory in Tring, and has died, as we are sure he would have wished to die. gallantly, doing his duty to his king and country.”
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £6 10s and arrears of £9 4s 2d was paid to his mother.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
