Name
Reuben Bradford
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/04/1917
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
26710
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Stevenage Old Town Memorial,
St Nicholas' Church Memorial, Stevenage Old Town,
Holy Trinity Church Memorial Roll of Honour, Stevenage Old Town,
Aspenden Village Memorial,
Buntingford Town Memorial
Pre War
Reuben was born at Symonds Green, Stevenage on the 30 April 1882 to John and Sarah Bradford. He later lived at Hoares Cross, Braughing near Ware with his wife, Sylvia, and their children, Florrie & George. He enlisted in the Army in the village of Buntingford, Hertfordshire. In the 1911 census he is married to Sylvia Bradford who was born in Buntingford and they have two children Florrie aged 2 and George aged 1. They were living at Hoares Cross, Braughing. Reuben was working as a cow man on a farm.
Wartime Service
He was killed when the Battalion was called to attack the village of Gravrelle as part of the British offensive at Arras. The battalion went straight through the village gaining its objectives and consolidating its position on the Northern outskirts.
Although they were heavily shelled throughout the day and also had to fight of a heavy German counter attack, they succeeded in holding on to their objective despite suffering some 229 casualties. Reuben was killed at some point during this action, probably from German machine gun fire which accounted for many of the Battalions casualties.
He has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Arras Memorial, Arras, France.
Additional Information
www.stevenageatwar.com
Acknowledgments
Kate Thompson
Paul Johnson, Carol Emery
