Name
James Victor Plumb
1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/04/1916
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
15058
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CARNOY MILITARY CEMETERY
L. 13.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Shenley Village Memorial, St Botolph's Church Memorial, Shenleybury (now lost) (*1)
Pre War
James Victor Plumb (known as Victor) was born in Hendon, Middlesex in 1894, the son of Alfred and Mary Plumb, and one of six children. He was baptised on 15 September 1894 at Holy Innocents Church, Kingsbury, nr Hendon.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at The Hyde, Kingsbury, where his father was working as a coachman/groom. The family left Kingsbury about 1905 and went to live in Leighton Buzzard, Beds. Victor was educated at Leighton Buzzard British School and in spring 1908 at age 13 he left school to become a gas-fitter's apprentice. By the 1911 Census they had moved to Oakley Cottages, New Road, Shenley and Victor was working as a 'stable help'.
His parents later lived at The Beeches Garage, Shenley where they worked for Dr Bayon, the doctor in Shenley, living in the former stables.
Wartime Service
Victor enlisted in Hertford on 5 September 1914 and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, serving as a Lance Corporal with the 7th Battalion in France from 26 July 1915.
He was killed in action on 7 April 1916, aged 21 and is buried at Carnoy Military Cemetery, Somme, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £7 and pay owing of £6 4s. His mother received a pension of 10s 5d a week in respect of Victor and his brother Thomas. Brothers Thomas and Ernest also served and died in France.
*1 Believed named on the lost memorial.
Victor and his brothers, Ernest and Thomas are also commemorated on the family headstone in Shenley (St. Botolph) Churchyard, Shenleybury. Their inscription reads:
ALSO OF
ERNEST LEWIS, JAMES, VICTOR, THOMAS LEONARD SONS OF THE ABOVE [Alfred Ernest & Mary Plumb]
KILLED IN ACTION 1914 1918
WHO PLUCKED THE FLOWER, THE MASTER THE GARDENER HELD HIS PEACE
Brother Alfred joined the Royal Navy in 1903 at the age of 18 and survived the war, serving until 1919.
Acknowledgments
Taff Williams, Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, shenleyww1.wordpress.com
