Name
Ralph Hector Spary
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/11/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
203454
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st/5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DEIR EL BELAH WAR CEMETERY
D. 95.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Markyate Village Memorial, St John The Baptist Church Memorial, Markyate Individual plaque St John The Baptist Church, Markyate
Pre War
Ralph Hector Spary was born 1896 (baptised 5 Jul 1896) in Markyate to Frank Spary. wheelwright, and Agnes (nee Huntley).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Frank (born 1895), Ralph, and Alec (born 1899) were living at High Street, Markyate.
In the 1911 Census Ralph was working as a GPO Messenger, living with his parents, Alec and Cyril (born 1902).
Son of Frank and Agnes Elizabeth Spary, of 2, Pickford Rd., Markyate, Dunstable.
Wartime Service
Ralph enlisted as a Territorial Soldier with the Royal Engineers as Sapper 1829 in 2/1st East Anglian Field Company. No Service Record was found for Ralph. 1st/5th Bedfordshire Regiment were also the same Territorial division and were deployed to Gallipoli in July 1915 landing at Suvla Bay on 11 Aug 1915. Ralph landed on 16 Aug 1915.
At some time he transferred to 1/5 Battalion. The Battalion was evacuated from Gallipoli in Dec 1915 and served in Egypt on the Suez Canal. He received the Service Number 203454 in the general renumbering of the Territorial Force. In 1917 the battalion took part in the Battles of Gaza, First Battle (26=27 Mar), Second (17-19 April) and Third (27 Oct- 7 Nov). During this last action Ralph was wounded and died of his wounds on 3 Nov 1917.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £13 and arrears of £6 3s 9d was paid to his mother. Brother Alec served with East Surrey Regiment as L/Cpl 26628 (BEF from Mar= Sep 1918) and survived the war. Brother Frank enlisted in the Territorial Force as Gunner 437 in 1st Herts. Battery RFA, East Anglian Division in 1911 for 4 years Home Service. His Division did not serve overseas.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Anne & Gordon Mead
