Name
Joseph James Lovett
25 Feb 1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/09/1917
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Stoker 2nd Class
K/36153
Royal Navy
H.M.S. "Pembroke."
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
24
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
All Saints' Church Memorial(s), Hockerill, Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial
Pre War
Joseph James Lovett was born on 26 Feb 1880 at Curragh Camp, Kildare, Ireland, to Sgt T J (James) Lovett and Sarah Lovett.
On the 1891 Census, he was an 11 year old schoolboy living with his widowed mother and his sister Sarah (born 1883) at London Lane, Bishop's Stortford. His mother was working as a charwoman.
Joseph enlisted with the Militia on 2 Jan 1896 as Private 3211 with 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and served in in South Africa from 16 Jan 1900 to 7 Jan 1902 when he was returned to UK and discharged from his engagement receiving a gratuity of £5. On the 1901 Census his mother and sister were living at Bramblefields, Stansted Road, Bishops Stortford.
Joseph rejoined the 4th (Extra Reserve) Bedfordshires (a Territorial Force Unit) on 1 Jun 1908 at Hatfield for 6 years as a special reservist Private 5803, extending his engagement for 4 Years on 2 Nov 1914.
On the 1911 Census he was still living with his mother but they had moved to 33 Dane Street, Bishop's Stortford, and he was working as General Labourer at the Gas Works.
Served in the South African campaign with the Bedfordshire Regt. an was called up as a reservist.
Wartime Service
Joseph was mobilised from the Reserve on 8 Aug 1914 and following a short period of training went to France with a Draft of 119 other Ranks to 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment on 8 Nov 1914 arriving on 13 Nov 1914 at Ypres. The battalion took part in Ypres (1914), Neuve Chapelle (Mar 1915), Festubert (May 1915) and Loos (Sep 1915).
He was wounded on Mar 1915 (GSW Finger), May 1915 (GSW throat), and 25 Sep 1915 (GSW Back). This wound caused his return to UK on 3 Oct 1915 and he was discharged from Duty as being time expired on 24 Jan 1916.
Subsequently Joseph joined the Royal Navy for Hostilities service as K/36153 Stoker Class2 on 29 Aug 1916 and was posted to HMS Pembroke (a shore establishment and the Royal Navy Barracks) at Chatham. The establishment was bombed by a German Gotha aircraft on the night 3 Sep 1917 and Joseph was one of over 130 men to die from the two bombs dropped that night at 11.12 pm on the Drill Shed which had been pressed into service as sleeping accommodation. His date of death is given as 6 Sep 1917, cause malignant disease.
N.B. There is discrepancy in some records as the service register lists Joseph Lovett as serving on the Pyramus and having died from accidental drowning and being buried at sea. The ship's log might agree with this as there is an entry on that day in Aden at 8.00 pm "lost overboard by accident", although it doesn't say who or what.
Additional Information
The dependant's pension record states that he died of "malignant disease" . His mother received a pension of 4 shillings a week from 14 March 1918. She died in 1920.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, roll-of-honour. com
