Name
James Francis Dear
1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/04/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
33513
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 41
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
James Francis Dear was born in 1879 in Hitchin and was baptised on 27 August 1879. His parents were James and Sarah Ann Dear (née Nutting). They had married in 1871.
In 1891 the family were living at St Andrew’s Street, Hitchin. Present were both parents: James (31) and Sarah (32), with James (senior) working as a coal labourer and Sarah as a strawplaiter. Their only child was James Francis (1).
In 1891 the family were living at Gray’s Yard, which was just off St Andrew’s Street, Hitchin. Present were both parents, with James (senior) working as a licensed hawker. James now had sister, Florie (Florence) (8).
By 1901 James (senior) had died. the family were living at Gray’s Yard, St Andrew’s Street, Hitchin. Sarah was present as were two children: Florence and Herbert (7). James Francis appears to be listed as Jim and living at 2 St Andrew’s Place with his grandmother Elizabeth Nutting (82) and his mother’s sister Mary Nutting (48). Jim was now 21 and working as a bricklayer’s labourer.
By 1911 James and become head of the household at 2 St Andrews Place, Hitchin, and present were his sister Florrie (28) and brother Herbert (17).
Officially he was recorded as born and living in Hitchin when he enlisted in Bedford.
Wartime Service
He joined the army on 24 March 1916 and was a private soldier in the 8th Battalion of the Bedfords with the Regimental Number 33513 and was killed in action on the 19th April 1917. On that day the 8th Bedfords sustained intense hostile shelling from bombing, counter-attacks and barrage fire, but all were repulsed. This was at a position south of Loos Crassier and is the most probable place of his death.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 41 of the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais in France along with 20,000 of his comrades.
Additional Information
After his death £1 6s 11d was authorised to go to his sister Florence and the same amount to his brother Herber on 27 November 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £3 10s was authorised to be paid to Florence on 10 November 1919.
His pension cards name his sister, Florrie Dear, as his dependant, living at 2 Providence Row, St Andrew’s Place, Hitchin. The details of any pension are not recorded.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
