Name
Robert Hemmings
1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/07/1916
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
5223
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
59th Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LEICESTER (WELFORD ROAD) CEMETERY
Screen Wall O1.290
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
No Inscription - Screen Wall bears the names of those buried in a War Graves plot.
UK & Other Memorials
Stevenage Old Town Memorial, St Nicholas' Church Memorial, Stevenage Old Town, Holy Trinity Church Memorial Roll of Honour, Stevenage Old Town, Codicote Village Memorial, Peace Memorial Hall, Codicote, We are not aware of any memorial in Langley, Not on the Knebworth memorials
Pre War
Robert Hemmings was born in Langley, Nr Hitchin, Hertfordshire in 1890, the son of Charles Frederick and Mary Ann Hemmings (nee Ward) and one of 12 children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Langley, Nr Hitchin, Herts where his father was working as an Agricultural Labourer. His elder brother Charles 4, and sister Amy 2, were staying with their grandparents John and Emma Ward who lived next door. The family remained in Langley in 1901 and his father was then working as a Woodman.
By the time of the 1911 Census, Robert, aged 20, was living with his Uncle and Aunt, Alfred and Rose Gates in Bedwell Plash, Stevenage, Herts, when he was working as a Wood Man.
On the 16th September 1911, he married Clara Carpenter. They later had two daughters, Winifred May born on 12 November 1911 and Doris Jane born 5 September 1913. Prior to his enlistment he lived with his wife and two daughters in Mulberry Cottage, Knebworth, Herts. His widow's address on pension records was given as Bedwell Place, Stevenage, Herts.
Wartime Service
Robert enlisted in Hitchin, Herts, initially posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment with the service number 22307 then transferred to the Machine Gun Company with the service number 5223.
It is not known when he went to France but would been no earlier than 1916. Robert was seriously wounded a few months later and his wife visited him in hospital in Boulogne, France. He was then transferred to the 5th Northern General Hospital in Leicester, Leicestershire, where he died on 7 July 1916. He is buried in Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £3 15s 9d.. She also received a pension of 18s 6d a week. Robert's younger brother Private 13048 Richard Hemmings of the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was also killed. He was reported missing and presumed Killed in Action on 22nd April 1915, he was 18 years old. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial to the missing. Panel 31 & 33. It is possible he was killed at the Battle for Hill 60.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Brenda Palmer
Brenda Palmer, June Colegrove, Roll-of-Honour.com, Stuart Osborne
