Name
Robert James Alfred Davis
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/10/1914
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
8503
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panels 10 and 11.
France
UK & Other Memorials
Benskin's Brewery Memorial, Watford
Pre War
Son of Ellen (nee SELWOOD) and the late James William DAVIS; husband of Gertrude Florence (nee DUGDELL) DAVIS.
His parents married 1882 In the Dublin South district. James died 1905 in the Edmonton, Middx, district aged 54.
Robert was born 1885 in Westminster, London, and married 1912 in the Edmonton district; they had one child. He resided in Swaffham, Norfolk. Gertrude possibly remarried 1924 in the Pancras, London, district to Philip BALL and if so died 1958 in the Pancras district aged 73.
On the 1891 Census, aged 5 he lived in Caterham, Surrey, with his parents and three siblings. On the 1901 Census, a fishmonger’s assistant aged 15, he lived in Enfield, Middx, with his parents and six siblings. On the 1911 Census, a Private in the Bedfordshire Regiment aged 26, he was stationed in Aldershot, Hants.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in London, was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 21 August 1914, and was killed or died of wounds received in action at Givenchy-les-la Basse which the battalion occupied the day before; violent shelling began at 6am and continued all day.
Additional Information
Unfortunately, Robert’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Robert is possibly the R DAVIS commemorated by Benskin's Brewery.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
