Name
John William Neale
1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/07/1916
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private/Lance Corporal
16989
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GORDON DUMP CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE
Plot V, Row J, Grave 10.
France
Headstone Inscription
No family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour,
St John the Baptist Church Memorial, Aldenham,
St John the Baptist Church Roll of Honour, Aldenham,
Letchmore Heath Village Memorial
Pre War
Son of the late John and Harriet (nee NORWOOD) NEAL.
His parents married 20 October 1888 at All Saints, Leavesden, Herts. John died 1890 in the Chelsea, London, district aged 22, and was buried 15 February at St John the Baptist, Aldenham, Herts. Harriet remarried 6 August 1892 at All Saints, Leavesden to John ENGLAND. She died 1893 in Watford aged 28, and was buried 22 December at All Saints, Leavesden.
John was born 20 November 1888 in Aldenham, and baptised 20 January 1889 at St John the Baptist, Aldenham.
On the 1891 Census, aged 2 he lived in Aldenham, with his widowed mother and brother Robert.
On the 1901 Census, aged 12 he was living with his grandmother Mary Ann Neal, in Aldenham.
On the 1911 Census, aged 22 he was living in Watford with his Uncle and Aunt Edward and Emily Norwood, his occupation was a Carman.
Wartime Service
He enlisted at Watford; posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment with the service number 16989.
John arrived in France on 24th August 1915. He was with his Battalion in the front-line trenches at Contalmaison on the night of 10th August 1916, when he was killed in Action. 5 others were killed, 4 reported missing and 40 wounded. He is buried in the CWGC Gordon Dump Cemetery, Somme, France. Grave Ref; V. J.10.
Additional Information
The value of his effects was £11-19s-9d, Pay Owing and £8-10s-0d, War Gratuity which went to a Miss Grace Saunders.
Unfortunately, John’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
His name is spelt with an "e" on the Memorials (Neale).
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
