Name
Stephen Godfrey Davey
17 Dec 1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/07/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
12124
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Battalion
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
RAILWAY DUGOUTS BURIAL GROUND (TRANSPORT FARM)
Sp. Mem. F. 21.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, All Saints' Church Memorial(s), Hockerill
Pre War
Stephen Godfrey Davey was born in Stamford Hill, London,on 17 Dec 1893 to Thomas Rowe Davey, mining engineer, and Amy (nee Downing) and was baptised at St Mary the Virgin at Dedham, Essex on 15 August 1895. His parents had married by special licence on 30 April 1890 in St Martin in the Fields, Westminster.
However, on the 1901 Census Amy, although stated as married, was living on her own in the Street, Mill Lane, Dedham, Essex, with Stephen and Amiee (born 1892, Quebec, Canada), Annie Eulalia (born 1893) and Caryl (born 1894).
On the 1911 Census, Stephen was working as a golf caddie living at 32 Hockerill Street, Bishops Stortford with his mother, Aimee (stationer’s assistant), Annie E, and Caryl (also a golf caddie). His father is not listed and his mother is living on 'private means'.
Wartime Service
Stephen enlisted at Bishops Stortford as Private 12124 Bedfordshire Regiment.
No Service Record was found for Stephen but he went to France on 30 Jul 1915 landing at Le Havre the following day with 6th Battalion. He may have been involved in some of the Battles of the Somme while with 6th Battalion but was at some time transferred to 7th Battalion of the Bedfordshires and may have taken part in the 3rd Battle of the Scarpe (3-4 May 1917) as part of the Arras offensive. On 17 Jul 1917 while out the front line a shell burst on an ‘A’ Coy tent killing 4 and wounding 5 men. It may be that Stephen was one of those killed and his death recorded as 18 Jul 1917.
His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on a Special Memorial in Railway Dugouts Cemetery, Ypres
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £14 and arrears of £5 12s 0d was paid to his mother Amy. Brother Caryl served with London Scottish and was killed in Palestine Dec 1917.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
