Name
Joseph Paternoster
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/06/1915
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sergeant
14130
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 10/11
France
UK & Other Memorials
Aston War Memorial
St. Mary’s Church Roll of Honour, Aston
Pre War
Joseph was the only son of George & Sarah Paternoster of Brookfield Cottage, School Lane, Aston. He is described in the 1911 Census as a General Labourer and probably worked on farms in the local area.
Wartime Service
He was posted to France on the 25th May 1915 and reached the Battalion with a group of reinforcements on the 5th June. He was to lose his life just a few days later. Between the 15th & 17th June 1915 the Battalion were located at Windy Corner, near Givenchy-les-la-Bassee. On the 16th June, after some confusion as to whether they were going to make an attack on German positions, it was decided to launch an assault in support of an attack being made by the Royal Scots Fusiliers. All the platoons entered the Crater at the junction of Sunken Road and came under a considerable volume of rifle and machine gun fire as it topped the lip of the crater. They were then involved in what was described as “spirited” close range fighting. The German infantry made a heavy grenade attack and eventually the Bedfordshire’s attack had to be called off. The Battalion suffered a total of 50 officers & men killed or missing between the 15th & 17th June, with a further 72 being wounded. Joseph has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Le Touret Memorial, Pas De Calais, France.
Additional Information
www.stevenageatwar.com www.bedfordregiment.org.uk
Acknowledgments
Paul Johnson
