Name
Emmanuel Olney
1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/10/1914
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
9975
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HARLEBEKE NEW BRITISH CEMETERY
XVII.A.7
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hatfield Hyde memorials
Pre War
Emmanuel Olney was born in Hatfield Hyde in 1893, the son of Samuel and Thirza Olney and one of eight children, although one had died by 1911.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Coopers Lane Road, Enfield, Middlesex where his father was working as a Farm Labourer. By 1911 they had moved to Tyttenhanger Green, St Albans, Herts and Emmanuel was working as a Cowman at Hill End Asylum [farm], St Albans where his father was also working as a Farm Labourer.
He was said to be living in Enfield, Herts at the time of enlistment.
His service number suggests that he enlisted into the army in the spring of 1912 and served with the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.
Wartime Service
It is assumed Emmanuel was already a serving soldier at the outbreak of war. The 2nd Battalion was at Robert Heights near Pretoria, South Africa and were immediately recalled to England, landing at Southampton on 19 September 1914. After a short stop to refit for European warfare they left Southampton on 5 October 1914 on the SS Winifredian and arrived at Zeebrugge, Belgium on 7 October 1914. They were soon in action on the Menin Road where they came under rifle and shrapnel fire, suffering their first casualties on 18 October.
Emmanuel was killed in action on 31 October when the Battalion was near Inverness Copse and had orders to occupy a small fir wood which was attempted but later were ordered to retire back to the Menin-Ypres Road. Several soldiers were killed or wounded.
He was initially buried by the Germans in Koelenberg Cemetery, Ghuluwe on the south side of the Menin Road but was exhumed and reburied in Harlebeke New British Cemetery, Belgium at the end of war. He is one of two soldiers from the 2nd Battalion who died on 31 October buried there, however, another 38 have no known grave and their names are commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £5 3s 8d. He also received a pension of 5 shillings a week.
Brother to Sidney Olney who served with the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, died on 29 January 1915 and is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery, France.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Brenda Palmer, www.bedfordregiment.org.uk
