Name
Jack Royston Plume
28 Jan 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/08/1918
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
30322
16th (The Queen’s) Lancers
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL
Panel 3.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial, Central Methodist Church Memorial, Letchworth
Pre War
John (Jack) Royston Plume was born on 28 Jan 1894 in Cherry Hinton, Cambs., in 1894 (baptised 28 Jun 1894 to Charles Maurice John Plume, asylum attendant, and Harriet (nee Royston).
On the 1901 Census the family of Harriet (laundress), Jack, and Lucy (born 1895), Dorothy (born 1897), Redvers (born 1900) were living at Croft Cottages, 10 High Street, Cherry Hinton, Cambs.
On the 1911 Census the family of Charles (now a bricklayer), Harriet (ironer), Jack (litho apprentice), Lucy (ironer), Dorothy (a domestic), Redvers, Minnie (born 1903), James (born 1906) and Daisy (born 1909) were living at 10, Birds Hill, Letchworth.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Jack.He enlisted as Private 1177 in the Bedfordshire Yeomanry around Sep/Oct 1914 and transferred to 16th (Queen’s) Lancers as Private 30322 at some time later. 16th Lancers had been in France from 18 Aug 1914 and had been part of 3rd Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division since 15 Sep 1914. Jack probably joined them in late 1916.
In 1917 during the Arras Campaign they took part in 1st Battle of Scarpe (9-12 Apr) before in late autumn being part of the Cambrai Battles at the Tank Attack (20-21 Nov),the capture of Bourlon Wood (24 – 28 Nov), the German counterattacks (30 Nov – 3 Dec). In 1918 the division were involved in the Battle of St Quentin (21 -23 Mar, a phase of the of the First Battles of the Somme in which the division was engaged until 1 April) before moving to the Ypres Sector and the Battle of Hazebrouck (14 – 15 Apr, a phase of the Battles of the Lys). Later in they were again moved and took part in the Battle of Amiens (8 – 11 Aug) where Jack was reported killed in action on 9 Aug 1918 , his remains were not recovered and he is remembered in the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.
It should be noted that although a cavalry unit, the troops often fought as dismounted infantry.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £18 10s and arrears of £14 11s 2d was paid to his father.
Brother Redvers served in Royal Navy from 1929 to 1941.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Janet Capstick, Jonty Wild
