Name
Reginald (Reggie) Ernest Bozier
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/08/1918
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
235224
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
17th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
OVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY
XII. B. 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
THE LORD SHALL GIVE THEE REST
UK & Other Memorials
Wheathampstead Village Memorial, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Yeomanry Memorial, St Albans Cathedral, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Reginald Ernest was born in 1893 (baptised 30 Apr 1893) in Wheathampstead to John Bozier, agricultural labourer, and Elizabeth Lizzie nee Parsons. On the 1901 census Reggie was living with his parents , elder Brothers Arthur (born 1881), Walter V (born 1886) and elder sister Ruth J (born 1890) at Marford, Wheathampstead. On the 1911 Census Reggie was working as a gardener domestic, living at Station Road Wheathampstead with his parents, brother Walter, a railway employee and sister Ruth who was now married to William Folds.
Reggie married Florence Swain in 1915. They were to have a child Rita Ruth born in 1916.
Wartime Service
Reggie attested on 1 Mar 1916 as a Territorial in 3/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry as Private 3088 for service of 4 years. He was transferred to Hertfordshire Regiment as Private 11169 and on the same day went to France from Folkestone to Calais arriving at 17 Infantry Base Depot. On 10 Jan 1917 he transferred to 3 Entrenching Battalion and being assigned a new regimental number of 270951.
On 2 Jul 1917 he was transferred to 4th (TF) Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers and immediately joined ‘A’ Company 17th (Service) Battalion in the field. He acquired a new number 235224 (probably when 17th Battalion were all renumbered in the Territorial Force Reforms). Reggie had been granted leave in UK from 28 Jan 1918 to 6 Feb 1918.
He was killed in action on 30 Aug 1918 during the fighting that became known as the Battle of Albert/Bapaume pushing the German Army back over the ground on which the Battle of the Somme (1916) had been fought.
Additional Information
His widow, Mrs. F. Bozier, Station Rd., Wheathampstead, Herts. ordered his headstone inscription "THE LORD SHALL GIVE THEE REST". War Gratuity of £11 and arrears of £5 0s 5d was paid to his widow. She also receive a pension of 20s 5d per week for herself and child. Brother Arthur served in with Bedfordshire Regiment volunteering in Sep 1914 and after being severely wounded was discharged as medically unfit for further service in 1916. Brother Walter Victor served in the Royal Navy from Nov 1916 to Feb 1919.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
