Name
Reginald Oakens
1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/05/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
19892
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BIENVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY
IV. A. 8.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, Nettleden & Frithsden Gate & Plaque, Church of St Lawrence, Nettleden, Holy Trinity Church Wall Memorial, Potten End, Baptist Church Memorial, Berkhamsted
Pre War
Reginald Oakens (Oakins) was born in 1886 in Potten End (Great Gaddesden), the only child of Alfred and Sarah Ann Oakens (Oakins).
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 5 Frithsden, Nettleden & Potten End parish, Berkhamsted Rural, where his father was working as an agricultural labourer. They remained living in Frithsden in 1911 by which time, Reginald was working as a farm labourer.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford and served with the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment in France from 30 July 1915.
He was killed in action on 4 May 1916 when the battalion was positioned in trenches at Monchy au Bois. There was an intense hostile bombardment followed by a raid at 3.00 a.m, resulting in 66 casualties and 8 missing. He is buried at Bienvillers Military Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £7 10s and pay owing of £5 14s 1d. The surname is spelled with an 'i' on birth registration, but the spelling of the surname on military and pension records varies as Oakens or Oakins.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, hemelatwar.org.,
