Name
Reginald Roberts Meadows
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/08/1917
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
17285
Bedfordshire Regiment
9th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHESHAM BURIAL GROUND
G. 49.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
AT PERFECT REST AFTER DUTY NOBLY DONE
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Tring memorials, Not on the Berkhamsted memorials, Chesham War Memorial, Bucks
Pre War
Reginald Roberts Meadows was born in Tring (Berkhamsted Registration District) in 1892 the son of Harry (Henry) Meadows, stone mason, and Minnie (nee Jeffs) and was one of nine children, although two died in infancy.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Ada Annie (a domestic, born 1889), Susan Tibby (born 1888), Harry Thomas (born 1891), Reginald, George (born 1895) and Beatrice (Beaty) were living at 398 Berkhamsted Road, Chesham, Buck .
In 1911 the family of parents, Susan (boot machinist), Reginald, Road, Chesham and Reginald (grocer's assistant), George (ironmonger’s assistant) and Beatrice had moved to 98,Sunnyside Road, Chesham.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Reginald, he enlisted in Watford, as Private 17285 in the Bedfordshire Regiment probably in late 1914 and after training went to France on 3 Sep 1915 to join 7th (Service) Battalion who had been in France, as part of 54 Brigade, 18 (Eastern) Division since Jul 1915. At some time he was promoted to Lance Corporal. In 1916 the Division was present at the Battles of the Somme : Albert (1-13 Jul), Bazentin (14-17 Jul), Delville Wood (18 Jul-3 Sep), Thiepval (26-28 Sep), Ancre Heights (1 Oct-11 Nov), Capture of Regina Trench, and Ancre (13-18 Nov).
In 1917 they took part in Operations on the Ancre (11 Jan-13 Mar) and the Pursuit of German Retreat to the Hindenberg Line (14 Mar- 5 Apr) prior to deploying to Arras for the 3rd Battle of the Scarpe (3-4 May). Another deployment took them to the Ypres Sector for the Battles of Passchendaele at Pilkem (31 Jul-2 Aug), Langemarck (16-18 Aug). Reginald was wounded, probably in this last action, and although he was evacuated to UK, he died of his wounds in Kings Cross Hospital, London, on 31 Aug 1917 and was buried in Chesham Burial Ground, Chesham, Bucks on 5 Sep917 with full military honours.
Additional Information
His father received a War Gratuity of £14 and pay owing of £5 6s 2d. His mother received a pension of £3 6s a week, which was later increased to five shillings a week.
His father, Henry Meadows, ordered his headstone inscription while living at 98 Sunnyside Road, Chesham, Bucks. it reads: "AT PERFECT REST AFTER DUTY NOBLY DONE".
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, www.buckinghamshireremembers.org.uk
