Name
Wilfred John (poss. John Wilfred) Camfield
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/09/1916
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
22917
Bedfordshire Regiment
8st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2C
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, Holy Saviour Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Hitchin British Boys' School Memorial, Hitchin, St Faith's Church War Memorial, Walsworth
Pre War
He was born in Hitchin, was resident in Walsworth. He John was the husband of Emily Camfield, of 58, Summer Rd., East Molesey, Surrey., enlisted in Bedford
Wilfred was in Hitchin in 1894 and attended Hitchin Boys British School in Hitchin. It is not easy to establish his parents, as in both census after his birth he was living with an aunt. Their parents were probably Harry and Mary Camfield meaning that Wilfred’s father would have been one of their children, and that suggests, one if the following: Alfred, John, Charles, Frederick, Edward, Earnest or Hurbert. Hopefully more information will be found to establish which, who his mother was, and what happened to them.
In 1901 Wilfred was 6 and living at Grove Farm Cottages, Walsworth, with his aunt Lizzie (36) and her husband Frederick Hilsden, was a horseman on a farm.
In 1911 Wilfred was living with another aunt, Mary and her husband William R Willcocks at Winter Green, Codicote, Welwyn, Herts. William was running his wood business and Wilfred, now 16, was assisting in his uncle’s business.
Wilfred married Emily Elizabeth Stafford in 1915, and she was born 8 February 1894
Officially, Wilfred was recorded as born in Hitchin, Herts., and living in Walsworth, when he enlisted in Bedford.
Wartime Service
He was allocated Regimental Number 22917 in the 8th Battalion of the Regiment.
On the date of his death the 8th Battalion attacked a strongpoint known as the ‘Quadrilateral’ opposite Ginchy and Bouleaux Wood. Of the tanks that were supposed to have been in advance of the infantry, only one appeared and that immediately stuck in the mud.
In the attack they were assisted by the Heavy Section of the Machinegun Corps. Zero hour was 6.20am in three assault waves. Quadrilateral on the left flank with ‘B’ Company attacking the trench leading to it. At 6.00am heavy artillery opened a slow barrage on the line Morval to Les Boeufs. At zero hour the barrage became more intense but was cut short leading to numerous casualties. At 6.00pm they were relieved and put into Brigade Reserve. The attack had failed and the casualties were numbered in hundreds.
He was initial reported as wounded and missing and then his death, killed in action, presumed to be 15 September 1916.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Face/Pier 2C of the great Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme in France.
Additional Information
His pension card gives his widow Emily Elizabeth Camfield of Summer Road, Eest Molesey, Surrey.
After his death £2 10s 7d was authorised to go to his widow on 23 October 1917 and later a war gratuity of £3 was authorised to be paid to her on 9 October 1919.
She was also awarded a pension of 13s 9d a week from 4 June 1917.
She was later recorded at 58, Summer Rd., East Molesey, Surrey.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
