Name
Harry Bidwell
21/11/1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/09/1916
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
14336
Essex Regiment
10th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 10 D.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, to the Missing, France.
UK & Other Memorials
Cheshunt Town Memorial, Church of St Mary the Virgin, Cheshunt
Pre War
Henry/Harry Bidwell (Depending on the document) was born at Beaulieu, Brockenhurst, Hampshire, on 21 November 1893, son of Herbert Walter Bidwell a, Gamekeeper and Emma Louisa Bidwell (nee Miller). One of seven children.
The family moved from Hampshire to Roydon, Norfolk. In the early part of 1900, they moved to Cheshunt in Hertfordshire. Harry started at St Mary’s Infant School on 26 February 1900, leaving a year later on 31 May 1901, to go to the Dewhurst Endowed Boy’s School, Cheshunt, staring on 3 June 1901.
On the 1901 Census he is recorded as Henry aged 7, at school, living with his parents, and four siblings in, Halstead Hill, Cheshunt, Herts. The family had a visitor on the night of the Census Mrs. Mary Miller, possible his grandmother. In 1904, his father Herbert Walter Bidwell died, aged 36.
1911 Census he is recorded as Henry aged 17, working as a Gardener’s Assistant, living with his widowed mother, sisters Ellen (9) and Annie (7) at, 6, Lordship Road, Cheshunt, Herts.
Wartime Service
Henry enlisted using the name Harry Bidwell at Barking, Essex, posted to the Essex Regiment with the service number 14336. On completion of his training he arrived in France with the 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment on 26 July 1915, seeing action on the Western Front.
He was killed in action on 26 September 1916, at the Battle of Thiepval Ridge, (26 to 29 Sept 1916). He has no known grave, he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing, France.
The 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment was raised at Warley Barracks, Warley, Essex, in September 1914, as part of Kitchener’s Second New Army, joining to 53rd Brigade of the 18th (Eastern) Division, they moved to Shorncliffe Army Camp, Kent, and then Codford St Mary, in May 1915, for their final training. Mobilized for war in July, they embarked at Folkstone arriving at Boulogne on 26 July 1915.
Additional Information
His mother Emma received a dependents pension of 3/6 a week from 1 September 1917, later increased to 5/- a week, and his effects of £4-16s-2d, Pay Owing and his War Gratuity of £8-10s-00d.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
