Name
Samuel Castle
1881
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/11/1914
33 years
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
6520
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Battalion
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 10/11
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Ardeley Village Memorial, St Lawrence Church Memorial, Ardeley, St John the Baptist Church Memorial, Cottered, Not on the Clothall memorials, Not on the Stevenage Old Town memorials, Not on the Knebworth (New) memorials (*1)
Pre War
Samuel Castle was born in Ardeley, Hertfordshire, (some records say Clothall, Herts) in 1881 son of John Castle (a labourer born 1853 in Rushden, Herts) and Sarah Ann (nee Draper born 1857 in Clothall, Herts). Samuel was the 4th of 16 children. Samuel was baptised on 27th March 1881, in Clothall, Herts.
The 1881 Census records Samuel aged 2 months living with his parents, brothers George (aged 6), Harry (aged 3) and Owen (aged 1), in Luffenhall, Cottered, Herts. The 1891 Census records Samuel aged 10, at school, living with his parents, George, Harry, Owen (all agricultural labourers, and additions Thomas (aged 8), William (aged 3), John (aged 2), sisters Eliza (aged 7) and Ellen (aged 8 months), in Luffenhall, Cottered, Herts. William was missing from the 1901 Census (see below), but his parents family living at Cromer, Ardley, continued to grow according to the Censuses of 1901 & 1911.
In the summer of 1898, Samuel married Martha Ann Hills.
Samuel attested on 13 Apr 1899 as Private 4012 in 4th (Militia) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and was enlisted on 29 May 1899 at Colchester. The 4th (Militia) Battalion was embodied (taken into the Regular Army) in January 1900, and a contingent of 500 officers and men embarked the SS Goorkha the following month (Feb) for service in South Africa, taking part in the Second Boer War. Most of the battalion returned home on the SS Guelph in June 1902. Samuel received the Queen’s South Africa Medal with Clasps Cape Colony, Transvaal and King’s South Africa Medal with Clasps 1901 & 1902.
By 1911 Samuel had completed his army service and was living with his wife Martha and sons Victor (aged 9 and Herbert (aged 2 months), in Cottered, Herts, working as a Domestic Gardener. Following Samuels death Martha Castle moved to 5 Buckles Cottage, West End Lane, High Barnet, Herts.
Wartime Service
On the outbreak of war Samuel reenlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment and posted to the 1st Battalion, with the service No 6520. He landed in France on 14 Sep 1914. to join his Battalion which had landed in France on 16 Aug 1914.
On the 6th November 1914, the Battalion moved to position just outside of Ypres and relieved the 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment. The following day the Germans broke through the lines held by the Bedfordshire Regiment, carrying some of the men with them. Some of the Battalions Officers and NCS’s gathered about 40 men and captured a trench held by 21 German’s, killing or capturing all of them, the Battalion casualties on 7 Nov 1914 were 7 Officers and 140 other ranks killed or wounded and 7 missing. Samuel‘s death was recorded on 7 Nov 1915 however his body was never recovered; his name is recorded on the CWGC Le Touret Memorial to the missing.
Additional Information
His effects of £10-4s-6d, £5 of which was his war gratuity went to his widow Martha. *1 His Knebworth connection is through his parent's address, which was provided after his death. It is not currently known if Samuel had any other connection.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Neil Cooper
Paul Johnson, www.stevenageatwar.com, Stuart Osborne, Iain Duncan
