Name
Reginald Walter Ambrose
19 September 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
266041
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54 and 56.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial,
St Mary's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead,
John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley Mills, Apsley,
Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Reginald Walter Ambrose (known as Walter) was born on 19 September 1894 in Hemel Hempstead, the son of John and Eliza Ambrose, and baptised on 17 February 1897 when he was two years old. He was one of ten children.
By 1901 the family had moved to 64 Piccotts End, Hemel Hempstead, although his father was not at home on Census night. Two elder brothers Horace and Arthur were then working at the paper mill (John Dickinson & Co). They remained at the same address in 1911 and all 10 children were then living at home, with four at school and the rest working in the local area. Walter was listed as working as a frame maker, probably at John Dickinson & Co, Apsley Mills, where it is known he worked in the printing department.
The family then moved to 28 Cherry Bounce just off the High Street in Hemel Hempstead, which was the address he gave on enlistment. His parents later moved to nearby 16 Austins Place, Hemel Hempstead, Herts.
Wartime Service
He enlisted at Hertford and joined the 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment on 22 October 1914, initially under reg. no. 3530, and was sent for basic training at Stowlangtoft, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
He went to France in Spring of 1915 as part of a draft of 30 men, disembarking at Le Havre on 18 April, and joining the Battalion at le Quesnoy a week later. The following month he fought in the battle of Fesubert and in the Battle of Loos in September.
Walter was admitted to the No. 9 Casualty Clearing Station on 3 January 1916 suffering from tonsillitis, re-joining his battalion on 13 January when they were in billets at Ham-en-Artois. In June 1916 he suffered a facial injury and spent six days in hospital.
Later in the year he saw action on the Somme at the Battle of Ancre Heights and the Battle of Ancre in October and November. He was then given home leave on 28 November, when he returned to Hemel Hempstead, however, once back in France on 8 December, the tonsillitis returned and he was away from duty until 28 December.
At the start of 1917 the Battalion moved to Flanders and were in position near Ypres, where there were skirmishes and trench raids on both sides. Walter received home leave in June and came to Hemel Hempstead to visit friends and family, but was back on duty by 7 July.
He was killed in action at the Battle of Pilkem, nr Ypres when the Battalion were pushing forward east of the River Steenbeek towards the objective of Langemarck, but they faced fierce resistance and suffered heavy casualties.
He was regarded as officially having died on or since 31 July 1917, aged 23, but has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. He is among 147 from the Hertfordshire Regiment who died on that day, 10 of whom are named on the Memorial.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £13 and pay owing of £1 9s 3d. His mother received a pension 3s 6d a week, which later rose to 5 shillings a week.
Brother to Joseph Ambrose who died from gas poisoning on 1 November 1917 and and brother to Frank who was killed in World War II, being one of 1418 crewman on HMS Hood which was sunk by the Bismarck on 24 May 1941. His cousin William Ambrose was also killed in France earlier the same month. Brothers Horace and Arthur both served and survived.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com., www.dacorumheritage.org.uk., www.hemelatwar.org.
