Name
Wortham Pearmain
1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/08/1918
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
SE/20391
Army Veterinary Corps
5th Veterinary Hospital
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ABBEVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
IV. D. 2.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial,
Holy Saviour Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (book), Hitchin
Pre War
Wortham was born in 1885 in Comberton, Cambridgeshire. His parents were Wilfred and Annie Elizabeth Pearmain (née Bunn), they married in 1884.
In 1891 the family were living at North End, Bassingbourn, Cambs. Present were both parents: Wilfred (33) and Annie (32), with Wilfred working as a carpenter. Their children were: Wortham (5), Minnie (3), Lillian (2) and Charles F (19 months).
In 1901 the family continued to live at North End, Bassingbourn. Present were both parents, with Wilfred working as a carpenter and joiner. Of the children listed above, Minnie was absent and Wortham, now 15, was working as an agricultural labourer. New siblings were Florence A (9) and Mildred (4).
By 1911 the family were living at 20 Kings Road, Hitchin, Herts. Wilfred was absent – perhaps working away, Annie was present and they had been married for 26 years with 6 children, all living. The children listed above were Wortham, now a builder’s labourer, May (Minnie?), Frederick ( Charles Frederick), Florrie (Florence) and Mildred.
Wortham was a single man, but was engaged to be married to a Miss Spicer and before joining the army he worked for the Great Northern Railway in Hitchin.
Officially Wortham was recorded as born in Bassingbourn, Cambs., and enlisted in Hitchin.
Wartime Service
His Regimental Number was SE/20391 and he served as a Gunner in the Artillery for two years before transferring to the 5th Veterinary Hospital of the A.V.C.
Caring for the tens of thousands of sick and injured horses must have been one of the most stressful tasks that soldiers had to perform. In the famous book ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ by Erich Maria Remarque describing the screams of wounded horses, “Deterring walks up and down cursing.” “Like to know what harm they've done”. He returns to it once again. His voice is agitated, it sounds almost dignified as he says "I tell you it is the vilest baseness to use horses in the war.”
He died of an intestinal obstruction at No. I South African General Hospital, Abbeville, France and was buried in Plot 4, Row D, Grave 2 in the Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
Additional Information
After his death £13 9s 9d pay owing was authorised to go to his father, Wilfred, on 15 March 1919. Later, a war gratuity of £9 was authorised to be paid to him/her on 1 December 1919.
His pension cards records Annie Elizabeth Pearmain as his mother and dependant, living at 20 Kings Road, Hitchin, but do not record any pension awarded.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
