Name
Jesse Martin Puddifoot
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/09/1916
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3011
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
"D" Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
AUCHONVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY
Plot II, Row I, Grave 11.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour,
St Michael and All Angels Church Memorial, Watford,
Oddfellows Memorial, Rickmansworth,
John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Croxley Mill, Croxley Green,
Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Son of James and Martha Mary (nee Barker) Puddifoot of 97 Kensington Avenue, Watford. His parents married on 26 May 1883 at St Mary’s, Rickmansworth. Jesse was born on 16 December 1890 in Rickmansworth, and baptised on 22 February 1891 at St Mary’s, Rickmansworth.
Martha died 1924 in Watford aged 65, and was buried 3 April in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; James died 1932 in Rickmansworth aged 71, and was buried 6 January, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
On the 1891 Census, aged three months he lived at 1 Gordon Terrace, Norfolk Road, Rickmansworth, with his parents and three siblings. His father worked as a mill labourer. On the 1901 Census, aged 10 he was still at 1 Gordon Terrace, with his parents and five siblings. His father worked as a coal heaver. On the 1911 Census, Jesse was working as a carter in the building industry aged 20 and he lived at 97 Kensington Road, Watford, with his parents and one sibling. His father was working as a time-keeper at a paper factory, presumably Croxley Mill. Jesse worked at Croxley Mill and is commemorated on the John Dickinson memorial.
There is an article about and a Death announcement for Jesse in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 21 October 1916; plus In Memoriams in the issues dated 29 September 1917, 28 September 1918 and 27 September 1919.
Recorded as enlisting in Hertford.
Wartime Service
Jesse Puddifoot was entitled to the 1914 Star medal, his qualifying date (i.e. when he began overseas service) being 6 November 1914.
During the first half of 1916 the 1st Hertfordshires were in northern France in various parts of the front line.
In August they marched south to reinforce the Somme offensive. Then on 3 September, 39th Division attacked the enemy’s trenches north of the Ancre river and 118th Brigade (including the Hertfordshires) was held in reserve. The attack failed. On 19 September they moved into the front line at Y Ravine, near Auchonvillers, which is where Jesse was killed.
Additional Information
After his death the Army paid his mother £15 19s 2d and a war gratuity of £8 10s.
Unfortunately, Jesse's Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
There is an article about and a Death announcement for Jesse in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 21 October 1916; plus In Memoriams in the issues dated 29 September 1917, 28 September 1918 and 27 September 1919.
Acknowledgments
Brian Thomson, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
