Name
John Henry Abbott
1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/08/1914
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
4090
3rd (King's Own) Hussars
NA
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LONDON CEMETERY AND EXTENSION, LONGUEVAL
10.J.2.
France
Headstone Inscription
FAREWELL TILL HE WHOSE HOME IS OURS ABOVE UNITE US THERE
UK & Other Memorials
St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Not on the Watford memorials
Pre War
John Henry Abbott was born in 1884 in Watford, Herts, youngest son of George and Lydia Abbott (nee England) of Watford. He was Baptised on 9th November 1884, in All Saints Church in the Parish of Leavesden, Herts. The family moved from Watford, firstly to 101 Villiers Road in Oxhey and then to 46 Upper Paddock Road, Oxhey. John like his father, worked as a General Labourer.
His parents married 10 June 1878 at St Mary’s, Watford. Lydia died 1912 aged 61; George died 1930 aged 82; both in the Watford district.
On the 1891 Census, aged 1 [sic] he lived in Bushey, Herts, with his parents and three siblings. On the 1901 Census, a general labourer aged 16, he still lived in Bushey, with his parents and two siblings. On the 1911 Census, a Private in the 3rd King’s Own Hussars aged 26 he was stationed at Roberts Heights, Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa.
John Henry Abbott married Gertrude May Ditcham in Norwich, Norfolk, in 1912, is believed they had two children, Jack and Stanley Abbott.
Gertrude never remarried and died 1980 in the Norwich district aged 92.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in London as Private 4090 with the King’s Own Hussars and was an early fatality of the war, killed in action on 30 August 1914. He may have been the first fatality of the war from Oxhey.
He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 15 August 1914, and was missing presumed killed in action on or since 4 September* 1914.
He is remembered with honour at the London Cemetery Extension, Longueval in France.
John and his brother Edward Abbott, who was killed in 1915, are commemorated on the Memorial at St Matthew's Church, Oxhey.
Additional Information
The value of his effects were £4-15s-6d, Pay Owing and £5, War Gratuity which went to his Widow Gertrude and children. His brother George Edward died 26 September 1915 and also features on this Roll of Honour Unfortunately, John’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
