Name
Sydney James Satchell
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/09/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
271409
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MOEUVRES COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
I. A. 20.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Son of James W and Alice Satchell. He had one older and two younger brothers - John Francis and Frederick Ernest.
Recorded as born in Battersea and living there when he enlisted in Chelsea.
Wartime Service
He enlisted on 9th August 1915, declaring his age as 19 years and 180 days. It appears that he was enlisting in the 2/1st County of London Yeomanry service number 4323. The regiment was formed on the creation of the Territorial Force in April 1908 and placed under orders of the London Mounted Brigade. It was based at the Duke of York’s Headquarters in Chelsea. Territorials were no obliged to serve overseas, but it is recorded that he volunteered for overseas service on the same date. However, his parents were not happy!
His father wrote to the 2/1st Herts Commanding Officer on the 14th August 1917 from 145 Maysoule Road, Clapham Junction, he requested leave for Sydney as his brother had recently returned from Salonica and wished them to meet up before he returned to Salonica. In this letter he recorded that Sydney had served for two years and had not yet reached the age of 18.
His real age was acknowledged on the 6th October 1916 after his birth certificate was reviewed his actual date of birth was 22nd May 1899, so when he enlisted he was only 15 years and a little over 2 months. A man should have been at least 19 before serving overseas, albeit there are many examples where this was ignored. In Sydney's case his parents must have notified the Army - presumably sending his birth certificate (mentioned above) and his commanding Officer wrote on the 11th October stating that his parents requested his retention on Home service until he was older. It was decided that he should be sent to the 2/1st Hertfordshire Regiment, with the decision as to whether he was to be transferred or attached to be made later. He was alloaced the service number 271409.
His service record records an attachment to the 51st (Grad) Battalion West Yorks Regiment on 8th November 1917 and the transferred to the Reserve Unit 5th (Res) Bedfordshire Regiment on the 3rd May 1918.
He subsequently was posted overseas on the 5th June 1918 and posted to the 4th Bedfords on the 16th June and may be the single OR recorded in the War Diary as joining them on the 17th.
By the 25th June they were in the support line and in the front line at Aveluy Wood on the 28th, remaining in that area in either the front or reserve until 3rd July, when they moved to Acheux Wood seeing the same service there for the rest of July. August was mostly spent in training. On the 1st of September they were in Hindenburg Support Line where they experience an aircraft raid 4 men were killed, 11 wounded and 26 horses and mules were also killed. They stayed in or around the front line 8th when they left for training at Bailleulmont for training.
They returned to Queant on the 26th and the War Diary records that the battles for the Hindenburg Line and the Battle of the Canal du Nord commenced the 27th. Sydney's Battalion commence operations at 5.20 a.m. and crossed Canal du Nord capturing their objective in the Hindenburg Support Line, on the 28th they were still in position in the Hindenburg Support Line and moved forward to position near Cantaing - 1 offi9cer was killed and 7 wounded along with 12 ORs killed and 61 wounded, with the date of casualties give as the 27th. The diary does not record any casualties on the 29th - the date of Sydney's death, so it is not clear whether he was killed on that date or was wounded and died on the 29th.
His death plaques and scroll were sent to his parents on the 7th August 1919.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild
