Name
Joseph Sampford
1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/12/1915
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3066
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CAMBRIN CHURCHYARD EXTENSION
G. 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, All Saints Church Memorial, Hockerill, All Saints Church Memorial Board, Hockerill, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Joseph Sampford was born in 1896 in Bishop's Stortford, the eldest child of Joseph Sampford, a wellsinker’s labourer, and Annie Maria (nee Hayes).
On the 1901 census the family of parents, Joseph, Thomas George (born 1899), were living at 19 South Mill Cottages, Bishops Stortford, in the parish of Hockerill. By the 1911 Census Joseph was living with his mother, Thomas, William (born 1901), Florence Hilda (born 1904), Reginald John (born 1906) and Arthur Albert (born 1909) had moved to 98 London Road, Bishop's Stortford and he was working as an errand boy for a Boot and Shoe Maker.
Wartime Service
Joseph volunteered as a Territorial Soldier as Private 3066 Hertfordshire Regiment on 11 Sep 1914 in Bishop's Stortford. Following training he went to France on 27 Apr 1915 in a Draft of 2 Officers and 20 other Ranks joining 1st Battalion (part of 4th Guards Brigade, 2 Division) at Le Quesnoy. The battalion was at Festubert (15-25 May 1915) mainly in support of Irish Guards. In Sep 1915 the Battalion were engaged in the Battle of Loos (25 Sep-8 Oct 1915).
On 2 Dec 1915 the Battalion took up position in trenches near Bethune and on 5 Dec 1915 they were very heavily shelled by enemy artillery although there were only 3 Casualties. Joseph, however as one of the casualties, was killed during this action.
Additional Information
His mother received a War Gratuity of £4 10s and arrears of £4 5s 5d. N.B. Surname spellings sometimes vary from Sampford to Samford.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
