Name
Herbert William Reynolds
1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/10/1916
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
32849
Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CATERPILLAR VALLEY CEMETERY, LONGUEVAL
XXIX. E. 9.
France
Headstone Inscription
GREATER LOVE THAN THIS HATH NO MAN
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted Town Memorial, St Peter's Church Memorial, Berkhamsted
Pre War
Herbert William Reynolds was born in Berkhamsted in 1888, the son and eldest child of James and Fanny Reynolds (nee Norris).
On the 1891 Census the family were living in Kings Road, Berkhamsted where his father was a coal merchant. They remained there in 1901 at which time Herbert was working as a draper's apprentice.
In 1911 Herbert was a boarder, along with seventeen other draper's assistants at Webbers drapery store, 15 Pembroke Street, St Aldate, Oxford.
He was living in 301 Lord Street, Southport, Lancashire at the time of enlistment. He married Ruth Allart in West Bromwich in 1915.
(After his death his widow later lived 27 Walton Crescent, Oxford on pension records).
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Oxford and initially served with the Queen's Own Oxford Hussars (a Yeomanry Cavalry Regiment) reg. no. 2684, later transferring to the 6th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
He was presumed killed in action on or since 7 October 1916, aged 28 at the Battle of Le Transloy (Battle of the Somme). At the end of the war his body was located and reinterred at Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Somme, France.
Additional Information
His widow obtained probate of his estate on 14 November 1917 in Oxford, with effects of £122 16s 10d. She received a war gratuity of £5 10s and pay owing of £2 14s 10d, as well as a pension of 13s 9d a week. She ordered his headstone inscription while living at 301 Lord Street, Southport, Lancs., it reads: "GREATER LOVE THAN THIS HATH NO MAN".
Listed as Lance Corporal on the memorial inside St Peters Church Memorial, Berkhamsted and on some military records.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, qooh.org.uk, www.findagrave.com
