Name
Christopher George Sharp
1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/11/1915
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
17793
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHOCQUES MILITARY CEMETERY
I.H.2
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hatfield Hyde Village Memorial, St Mary Magdalene, Church Memorial, Hatfield Hyde, Welwyn Garden City Memorial, Hatfield Town Memorial, Hatfield In Memoriam Book, Not on the Knebworth memorials(*1)
Pre War
Christopher Sharp was born in 1893 in Knebworth, Herts, the son of George and Eliza Sharp and one of eleven children.
On the 1901 Census the family, parents George and Eliza and four children, were living at Hatfield Hyde, Herts where his father was working as a Sandpit Labourer. They remained in Hatfield Hyde in 1911 and Christopher was then working as a Farm Labourer and his father still a sandpit labourer.
His parents' address was later given variously as either 10 or 11 Sandpit Cottages, Hatfield, Herts.
Officially recorded as born in Hatfield and was living in Hatfield Hyde when he enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
Christopher enlisted in Hertford and joined the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. He arrived in France on 9 June 1915, probably arriving in time to take part in the Second Action at Givenchy on 15 June.
He died of wounds on 9 November 1915, aged 23, probably as a result of action at Bethune a few days before, and is buried at Choques Military Cemetery.
The Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine of December 1914, in the fourth list of men mobilised from Hatfield, recorded: “Sharp, Christopher – Hatfield Hyde – 1st Herts. Territorials.” And then in November 1915: “Died of Wounds – Christopher Sharp.”
Awarded the Victory Medal, British War Medal and 1915 Star.
Additional Information
*1 Recorded as born in Knebworth, but is not clear whether this was ‘Old’ or ‘New’ Knebworth or indeed perhaps recorded as the nearest 'large' town to Codicote.
His mother received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £2 15s 6d.
Brother to David Sharp who was killed in action on 9 November 1915 and is named on the Pozieres Memorial, France and who is also listed on these memorials. Although pension cards exist for both Christopher and his brother David, there are no details of any pension received.
Hatfield Parish Council Souvenir Committee Ledger: Mrs Sharp (Mother) of 10, Sandpit Cottages, Hatfield Hyde, received a Silver Matchbox.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Brenda Palmer, www.bedfordregiment.org.uk, Christine & Derek Martindale, Hatfield Local History Society (www.hatfieldhistory.uk)
