Name
Gerald Wynter Blathwayt
20 Jun 1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/09/1914
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
Royal Field Artillery
56th Battery, 44th Brigade
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VENDRESSE BRITISH CEMETERY
Plot III, Row C, Grave 9.
France
Headstone Inscription
All will be well
UK & Other Memorials
Aldenham School Memorial, Aldenham, Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Northwood War Memorial, Middlesex, Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Northwood, Middlesex, Royal Artillery War Commemoration Book
Pre War
Gerald was born 30 June 1879 in Belvedere, Kent, and baptised 17 September 1879 at All Saints, Belvedere.
His parents were Arthur Pennington and Mary Constanta Blathwayt (nee Thorp) of Northwood, Middx. They married on 23 April 1873 at All Saints and St Peter, Malden, Essex. Mary died 1919 in the Uxbridge, Middx, district aged 73, and was buried 15 February at Holy Trinity, Northwood; Arthur died 28 October 1929 in Northwood aged 81, and was buried 31 October, also at Holy Trinity, Northwood.
On the 1881 Census, aged 1 Gerald lived in Belvedere, with his parents and three siblings. On the 1891 Census, a scholar aged 11, he lived in Watford, with his parents and three siblings.
Before 1898 he had joined the Kent Artillery Militia and was Gazetted from them on 22 December 1898 as 2nd Lt. Promoted to Lt. 16 February 1901 and Capt. 18 Jul 1906. He had served the South African War and received Queen's Medal with 3 Clasps. From 1906 to 1909 he served as Brigade Adjutant and was Garrison adjutant from 1910 to January 1914.
On the 1911 Census how was recorded as a Captain in H.M. Forces aged 31, he was stationed at Woolwich Common, London.
He married Margaret Aline Pickersgill-Cunliffe of Haywards Heath, Sussex, daughter of Charles Pickersgill-Cunliffe, of Cobb Court, Cootham, Sussex on 26 October 1911 at St Stephen’s, Gloucester Road, Kensington, London; two Daughters, Madeline Margaret (12 July 1912) and Elizabeth (16 Feb 1914). Margaret never remarried after his death and died 17 January 1978 in Pulborough, Sussex, aged 87.
Wartime Service
In February 1914 he was posted to 56th Battery, 44th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery and deployed with this unit to France in August 1914.
On the outbreak of war he went with his battery to France and was involved in the retreat from Mons to the Marne. he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Aisne 14 September 1915. He was initially buried in the gardens of the Chateau Verneuil, and was reburied after the war ended.
Major Barker,Battery Commander, in communicating his death wrote 'In him the Army has lost a gallant officer and myself and his other companions in the Brigade a beloved comrade and friend'.
‘While at Woolwich he took an active part in the Garrison cricket and was Hon Sec of the club. He was recently elected a member of 'the Band of Brothers' and was a member of the Junior United Services Club’.
Additional Information
There are articles in the Watford Illustrated dated 26 September 1914; in The Dominion newspaper, Wellington, New Zealand, dated 14 November 1914; in the Gloucestershire Echo dated 21 September 1914; and the London Standard dated 2 November 1914. He has a listing in that De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Tony James, Neil Cooper, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
