Name
Joseph Benjamin Horn
13 October 1891 (Possibly Incorrect)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/11/1918
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
26123
Bedfordshire Regiment
(Trans to Labour Corps)
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WATFORD CEMETERY
Plot H, Row 2, Grave 788.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour,
Christ Church Memorial, Watford,
Not on the Bushey memorials
Pre War
Born in Bushey and christened on 11 September 1891 at St James’ Bushey, Joseph Benjamin Horn was the son of Henry (Harry) James and Harriet (née Marlborough) Horn. His parents were married on 29 August 1887 in Oxhey, Watford.
At the 1901 Census, Joseph is 9 years old and living at 8a Upper Paddock Road, Bushey. His father is 34 years old and working as a bricklayer. Also present are his mother and three siblings; Harry, Lottie and Mary. They are 32, 11, 5 and 1 years old respectively. The birthplaces are given as Watford for Henry, Stanmore in Middlesex for Harriet and Bushey for all of the children.
Although she doesn’t appear in the above 1901 census record, Harriet (Jnr.) Horn was born to Henry James and Harriet (Snr.) Horn on 31 August 1887 and was christened at Elstree on 13 November 1887. She married Alfred William Elson in 1907 in the Watford registration district.
Harriet (Snr.) died in 1905 in Oxhey, aged 39, and was buried 29 July at St James’, Bushey, Herts. Harry remarried in 1925 in the Watford registration district to Elizabeth Hearne. He died in 1943 in Watford, aged 76, and was buried on 24 February in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford. Elizabeth died, aged 78, in 1944 in the Watford registration district.
At the 1911 Census, Joseph is 18 years old and is boarding at 4 Lower Paddock Road with the Elson family. The head of the family, Alfred George Elson, is a builder working on his own account. Joseph is working as a Hall Boy in a Hotel. His father is living at 50 York Road, Watford with his daughter Harriet and son-in-law Alfred William Elson. He is recorded as a widower and working as a bricklayer.
Joseph married Daisy Mary Cook on 27 December 1915 at Christ Church, Watford.
Wartime Service
Joseph enlisted at Watford as Private 26123 in the Bedfordshire Regiment. He also served as Private 10775 in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and was recorded as serving in that regiment in the Borough Roll of Honour for Watford. His pension record card gives his service number as Private 601246 in the Labour Corps.
Joseph died at home aged 27 on Armistice Day, 11 November 1918 as a consequence of Influenza, and is buried in Watford Cemetery.
There is a brief article about, and a Death announcement for, Joseph in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 16 November 1918.
The Register of Soldiers Effects names Daisy Mary Horn, living at 7 Railway Cottage, Watford. She did not remarry and was still living at the same address on the 1939 England and Wales Register, where she is recorded as 91 years old and a milling machinist. The National Probate record for 1977 gives her date of death as 15 March 1977 and her address as 20 Cromer Road, Watford.
His father and step-mother were recorded as living at 44, Capel Rd., Oxhey, Watford after Joseph's death.
Additional Information
Joseph's grave (not CWGC) bears the inscription:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND, PTE. JOSEPH HORN, 1/4 R.W.F. WHO DIED NOV. 11. 1918, AGED 27.
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
