Name
Geoffrey Slater
1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1916
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
14947
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Barley Village Memorial, St Margaret's Church Memorial, Barley
Pre War
Geoffrey SLATER was born in late 1894, in Barley, Hertfordshire, son of Thomas Slater a Farm Labourer and Sarah Ann Slater (nee Peck). His parents were married in 1879, in Royston, Herts. They went on to have 10 children although two died in infancy.
He was Baptised on 17th December 1897, in the Parish of Barley, Herts.
1901 Census records Geoffrey aged 6, living with his parents, three sisters and brother Frank (11), at Smiths End, Barley, Herts.
1911 Census, Geoffrey (16) is working as a Farm labourer, living with his parents, and sister Lizzie (14), still at Smiths End, Barley, Herts, His sister Eva Thomas and her husband Charles were visiting on the night of the census.
Wartime Service
Geoffrey enlisted at Royston, Herts, posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment and issued with the service No. 14947, on completion of his training he was sent to the Western Front, arriving on the 12th May 1915.
In July 1916, Geoffrey and his Battalion were sent to reinforce the Somme, and were in action at High Wood, where it is believed Geoffrey was Killed in Action on 31st July 1916, aged 21, (Battle of the Somme 1st July -18th November 1916) he has no known grave, he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier & Face 2C.
Additional Information
His mother Sarah was awarded a Dependents Pension of 5/- a week for life, from 15th July 1918, and his effects of £1-04s-02d, pay owing and his war gratuity of £8-10s-00d.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Paul Johnson, Adrian Pitts
