Name
John Robinson Seymour
27th March 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/07/1916
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
L/11688
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 12 D and 13 B.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
St John the Baptist Church Memorial, Cottered.
Pre War
John Robinson Seymour was born in Cottered, Hertfordshire on the 27 Mar 1895 the son of Ralph Seymour (born 1859, died 1931 in Cottered, Herts.) a Bricklayer and Eliza (nee Hagger, born 1860 in Sandon, Herts). John was baptised as Patrick John Robinson Seymour in the Parish of Cottered, Herts, on the 1st Sep 1895. The 1901 Census records him, (aged 6), as P. John living with his parents, Half-brother Frederick Hagger (aged 15), and sister C. Mary Seymour (aged 3), in Cottered, Herts. He appears not to use his first name Patrick as all documents refer to him as John Seymour or John Robinson Seymour. There seems to be no 1911 Census record for John, his army service record gives his occupation as a Seaman, so it is possible he was at sea at the time.
On 10 Jun 1913 John enlisted in 5th (Special Reserve) Battalion the Middlesex Regiment as Private 7083. In October of that year, John applied to join the regular army, he was attested at Mill Hill on the 24 Oct 1913 and posted to Devonport to join the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, (Duke of Cambridge’s Own) with the Service Number L/14688.
Wartime Service
As the Great War was declared John was in Devonport with his Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment. On 11 Aug 1914 he was posted to the 6th (Reserve) Battalion. 4th Battalion deployed to France on 14 Aug 1914. John was posted back to 4th Battalion joining them in France on 26 Aug 1914. John’s Division (3rd) were in Actions of 1915 and 1915 when on 14 Nov 1915 they were transferred to 21 Division to take part in the Battle of Albert, the opening Battle of the Somme Campaign. John is reported to have been killed in action between 1 and 2 July 1916. He has no known grave as his remains were not recovered and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing, Somme, France.
John is commemorated on the Cottered memorial as Patrick Seymour.
Additional Information
All his Service documents give his service number as L/14688. The CWGC gives it as L/11688. John’s father Ralph served for 12 years with the Bedfordshire Regiment from 1879 to 1891 (including 8 years in India). Ralph reenlisted in his old Regiment in 1915, aged 56, he was discharged medical unfit in October 1918. John’s half-brother Frederick Hagger was a regular in the Royal Garrison Artillery as Gunner 11720 enlisting in 1902 for a total of 12 years being discharged as time served on 7 Aug 1915 in the rank of Sergeant. He had served in France from 4 Oct 1914 to 30 Jul 1915. Frederick re-enlisted as Gunner 293199 RGA on 10 Sep 1915 and was soon promoted to Sergeant serving with 140 Heavy Battery until he was demobilised on 16 Mar 1919 as a Battery Quarter Master Sergeant. He later joined the Herts Constabulary.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Neil Cooper
Stuart Osborne
