Name
Joseph Walter David Needham
14 October 1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
12/11/1917
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Royal Flying Corps
48th Sqdn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY
XXVIII. C. 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted School War Memorial
Pre War
Joseph Walter David Needham (known as Walter) was born in Walthamstow, Essex, on 14 October 1898, the son of Edgar and Rhoda Needham and one of 9 children. His parents had married on 5 December 1895 at St Matthew, Upper Clapton, Hackney and Walter was baptised there on 27 November 1898. His father was a solicitor and the family lived at Sunny Bank, Prospect Hill, Walthamstow. In fact his father was a publisher and owned an advertising business in Fleet Street, London.
On the 1901 Census his parents were at a boarding house, Farm Lodge, St Michaels Road, Bournemouth, Hants. his father's occupation was said to be advertising agent. His father bought the Hemel Hempstead Gazette in 1901 and moved his family, then with five young children, to Hill Brow, 41 (now 34) Alexandra Road, Hemel Hempstead, locally called the Red House, because of its brickwork. Edgar also founded the Berkhamsted Gazette in 1904 and purchased the Star Brewery at Bury Mill End, Hemel Hempstead in 1916.
On the 1911 Census Walter was living with his family at 41 Alexandra Road, Hemel Hempstead. He was educated at Berkhamsted School, Herts and afterwards he was articled to Mr W R Locke, the Borough Surveyor.
Wartime Service
Joseph was one of the first and youngest members to join the Hemel Hempstead Volunteer Company at the start of the war. He transferred to the Inns of Court Regiment and later became a cadet with the Royal Flying Corps in March 1917, going to Reading to begin his flight training. He was awarded a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant and in June 1917 was posted to 83 Squadron at Wyton, Cambridgeshire as a Flying Officer, later being sent to 44 Training Section in Lilbourne, Warwickshire, followed by further training at 38 Training Section at Rendcomb, Gloucs. He learned to fly the Bristol F.2B Fighter, a biplane used mainly for aerial reconnaissance and on 23 October Walter was posted to EF48 Squadron and sent to Conteville, France.
On 12 November 1917 he was returning in a Bristol fighter from an offensive raid on enemy lines at Dixmude when he became detached from the squadron in very dense fog and crashed into a hillside near Etaples, France. Walter was taken to No. 20 General Hospital at Camiers but died from his wounds, aged 19 and is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery.
His observer, 2nd Lt John Evans survived the crash but died three months later on 9 February 1918 in France.
Additional Information
His father, Edgar Needham Esq, Hill Brow, Hemel Hempstead, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS”. Probate was granted in London on 11 November 1918 to Edgar Needham, Printer, with effects of £150 1s 6d. His father received a war gratuity of £8 and pay owing of £97 8s 2d. His brother Wilfred died in 1923, aged 21 in a rugby accident playing for Camelots (Hemel Camelot Rugby Club).
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www dacorumheritage.org.uk, livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk., www.hemelheroes.com.
