Name
Bert Lovegrove
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/02/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3012
East Surrey Regiment
9th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MENIN ROAD SOUTH MILITARY CEMETERY
I. A. 17.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Tring Town Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Tring
Pre War
Bertie Lovegrove was born in 1891 in Tring to Joseph Lovegrove, labourer, and Anne (nee Coughtrey). There was an older brother Frank, born 16 May 1884 and died shortly after.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Bertie, Bessie (Betsy) Cougthrey (sister in law, born 1867, a straw plait worker) and Lily Brookes (niece, born 1881,wooden box maker) were living at 14, Frogmore Street, Tring.
On the 1911 Census the family of parents, Bertie (Ostler) and Betsie (charwoman) were living at Frogmore Street, Tring.
Wartime Service
No Service records were found for Bertie. He enlisted in Watford as Private 3012 in the East Surrey Regiment. This may have been late 1914/early 1915. Following training he went to France on 5 Oct 1915 to join 9th (Service) Battalion of the Regiment located near Ypres. The East Surreys were part of 72 Brigade 24 Division and had already come under attack on 14 Feb 1916 and were later taking their rotation in the front line providing working parties on the night of 25 Feb 1916 when Bertie was killed.
According to its War Diary entry for that day, the 9th Battalion was at the village of Zillebeke The single entry states simply: “Furnished various working parties for work in trenches 2 killed & 10 wounded.” possibly falling victim to shellfire or to a nocturnal raiding party.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £6 and arrears of £6 12s was paid to his mother.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
