Name
Maurice Arthur Newberry
1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/09/1917
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
266936
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HOOGE CRATER CEMETERY
XIX. B. 8.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, Stevenage Old Town Memorial St Nicholas' Church Memorial, Stevenage Old Town Holy Trinity Church Memorial Roll of Honour, Stevenage Old Town Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Maurice was born in 1890 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire and christened on 24 May 1890 in . hHis parents were of George and Annie Mildred Newberry (probably née Tilcock).
In 1891 the family were living at 4 Meadpow Leade Cottages, Stevenage. Present were both parents: George (33) and Anna (29), with George working as a engineer fitter. Their children were: Frederick John (8), Percy Francis (7), Cyril William (5), Florence Ethel (3), Maurice Arthur (1) and Harold Edwin (also 1) – they were twins.
In 1901 the family were living at the Salvation Army Barracks, Stevenage. Present were both parents, with George working as a mechanical engineer. As well as the children listed above, new siblings were Robert Bertram (9)(*1), Bernard Leslie (6), Alec James (4) and Reginald John (1)
By 1911 the family were living at Meadow Leade, Stevenage. Present were both parents, George now working as an engineer in a joinery works (school furniture). The census recorded they had been married for 30 years with 12 children, all living. Of those children now present were Morris (Maurice) 21, Harold 21 and Robert (*1) 19 and all shop assistants in a grocer’s, Bernard 16 also a shop assistant, Alec 14 and a draper’s shop assistant. Then Reginald (11), Walter (9), Eva (8) all at school and finally Doris M (4).
In 1913 Arthur married Florence E Walker (b 29/11/1892) and they had two children Phillip George (b 20/8/1913) and Mildred Joyce (b 4/7/1916.
He had worked as the gardener at Alleyne’s Grammar School, Stevenage
Officially Maurice was recorded as living in Stevenage, Herts., when he enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in the 1st Hertfordshire and was originally given the service number 5800 and served in 4 Company. The means that he enlisted after 1 November 1915. Regimental Number 266936 came later as part of the re-numbering of Territorial volunteers early in 1917.
In July 1916, he was wounded by shrapnel above his right eye.
At the time of his death the Hertfordshires were part of the 118th Brigade of the 39th Division in X Corps.
The Herts had just received a severe mauling at St. Julien (31 July 1917) as a result of which they temporarily ceased to exist as a fighting unit, having lost half their number. On the 26th September the 118th Brigade was again in action and the Herts attacked with the three other Battalions in the Battle of Polygon Wood. They were positioned west of Gheluvelt and south of Clapham Junction (on the Ypres to Menin road).
The Battalion were in support of an attack on the Langemarck Line and at 03.45am the planned assault began. There were three objectives to achieve known as Blue, Black & Green and units of the 116th Brigade easily captured the first two objectives, preparing the way for the forward companies of the Hertfordshire battalion, to take the third objective. At 05.00am they left their assembly positions to attack their objective, which lay over the crest of a ridge. As they made their way forward they came under heavy fire from both German machine guns and snipers but after eliminating a German strongpoint moved up towards St. Julian, which was only lightly held. A pre-arranged artillery barrage never materialised due to the guns being unable to move forward over the muddy terrain and the German barbed wire defences, which were fifteen feet deep in some places, were found to still be intact. It was soon realised that ground could only be won by section "rushes" supported by the unit’s own fire. The Cheshire Regiment were on the right of the battalion but the Black Watch, who were due to cover the left flank, had been seriously delayed. This left the Hertfordshire's seriously exposed, and the Germans exploited this by bringing a hurricane of fire down upon the stricken troops. This was followed by a German counter-attack and by 10.30 am it was clear that the objective could not be achieved. Casualties were very heavy with 459 men being killed, missing or wounded. The Battalion remained in the area throughout the offensive and returned from its billets to the trenches at Mount Sorrel on the 20th September 1917. On the night of the 25th September they were ordered to attack German positions at Bassevillebeek. The assault began at 05.50am the following morning but very little ground was gained. The Battalion suffered six casualties as a result of this attack, one of whom was Maurice Newberry.
He was initially unofficially reported killed in the local papers of 13 October 1917. His wife had been anticipating that he would be home on leave, but his platoon sergeant wrote to his wife informing her that her husband was killed instantly in action. The platoon sergeant wrote that he grieved for him as a personal friend, and his chums likewise grieve for him, feeling they have lost a good man and a comrade. He hopes the way her husband was appreciated by the company generally will be some consolation to her in her great bereavement.
Maurice is buried in Plot XIX, Row B, Grave 8 of the Hooge Crater Cemetery, Ypres in Belgium.
Additional Information
After his death £1 2s 5d pay owing was authorised to go to his widow, Florence Evelyn Newberry, on 25 February 1918. Later, a war gratuity of £8 10s was authorised to be paid to her on 4 November 1919.
His pension cards record his widow as his dependant, living at Bowling Green, Stevenage. She was awarded a grant of £5 on 6 November 1917 and pension of 22s 11d a week from 29 April 1918. They also listed their children Phillip George (b 20/8/1913) and Mildred Joyce (b 4/7/1916
After his death, Florence was recorded at 71 North Crofts, Nantwich, Cheshire. She did not remarry and died in her 94th year on 20 March 1986.
It is believed that he was one of seven brothers who served, Bernard Robert Newberry(*1) also died during the war as did another brother Reginald John Newberry.
*1 in some records, e.g. census he appears as Robert Bertram but most records he appears as Bertram (Robert).
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild, Paul Johnson, www.stevenageatwar.com, Jonty Wild
