Name
Harry Neale
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/01/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
10454
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Bushey Town Memorial,
St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey,
Not on the Watford memorials
Pre War
Born in Watford on 4 December 1897, and baptised on 7 April 1898 at St Andrew’s, Watford, Harry Neale was the son of Richard William and Mary Eliza (nee Clements) Neale. His parents were married on 30 August 1891 at St John’s, Kensal Green, London and they had eight children, two of whom died in childhood. Mary died in 1948, aged 80, and Richard died in 1949, aged 80, both in the Watford registration district.
At the 1901 Census, Harry was 3 years old and living at 112 Estcourt Road in Watford with his parents and two older brothers. His father is 31 years old and working as a foreman at a builders’ merchants. His mother and older brothers, William and George, are 33, 9 and 5 years old respectively. The birthplaces are given as Leavesden in Hertfordshire for Richard, Southall in Middlesex for both Mary and William and Watford in Hertfordshire for both George and Harry. Also present are two boarders, Samuel Parke and John Walker, who are both coal carters.
Harry initially attended school at St Andrew’s Infants in Watford, then at Callowland Board School in Watford from 10 January to 29 September 1905. He then attended Boxmoor J.M.I. School, Herts. from 17 January 1906 to 23 September 1910 before moving to Beechen Grove Board School in Watford from 3 October 1910 to 24 November 1911.
By the time of the 1911 Census, the family had moved to 1 Asylum Road in Watford. His father was now working as a labourer in a brewery and George is a shop boy in wool stores. William is no longer present, but Harry now has four siblings, George, Phoebe Rose V, Albert Edward and Olive Alexandra, who are 15, 9, 6 and 2 years old respectively. Watford is given as the birthplace for all the children, apart from Olive, who was born in Boxmoor.
Officially recorded as born in Watford and was living there when he enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
Harry enlisted in Hertford; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 25 August 1915, and was killed in action in the trenches near Villers-Plouich. Unfortunately, Harry’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
When war broke out, Harry enlisted in Watford with the Bedfordshire Regiment, serving in France as Corporal 10454 with the 4th Battalion. He was killed in action on 11 January 1918, aged 20, in the trenches near Villers-Plouich. He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 25 August 1915.
He is remembered with honour in the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Pier & Face 2C, and is also commemorated on the Bushey Memorial, at St James’ Parish Church and at St Paul’s.
The Register of Soldiers’ Effects names an Aunt, Eliza, as the sole recipient of his effects. The name is later updated as Eliza Smith. His pension card is a joint record with his brother George, who also served in the Bedfordshire Regiment and was killed on 6 November 1918, and names his mother Mary Eliza as the dependant with the address of The Pines, 6 Vale Road in Bushey.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
