Name
Robert John Mead
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/08/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
-
Royal Fusiliers *1
8th (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CITE BONJEAN MILITARY CEMETERY, ARMENTIERES
IX. C. 6
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Albans Citizens Memorial,
Town Hall (old) Memorial, St Albans,
St Peter's Church Memorial, St Albans,
Separate Memorial & Window, St Peter's Church, St Albans
Pre War
He was the son of Frederick and Mary Ellen Mead of The Moorings, Althorp Road, St Albans,
Wartime Service
Robert had enlisted in the 8th Service Battalion, Royal Fusiliers upon leaving Winchester School, and was sent to France at the end of May, 1915. He died of wounds at Armentieres on August 2nd, 1915, the day after a member of the digging party he was supervising accidently set off an unexploded bomb, killing Robert and injuring 13 others. Lieutenant Robert John Mead is buried in Cite Bonjean military cemetery, Armentieres.
Perhaps the death of his second son in the war was too much for his father to bear. Frederick Mead passed away on August 11th, 1915, aged 58 years, just 9 days after Robert. Three years later in August, 1918, Frederick’s widow Mary commissioned a stained glass window in memory of her husband, and of her sons Joseph and Robert. The window and its inscription can still be seen in St Peter’s Church, St Albans.
Additional Information
Robert was the younger brother of Lieutenant Joseph Frederick Mead who was the first man from Hertfordshire to be killed in World War One.
*1 More correctly (City of London) Bn. London
Regiment (Post Office Rifles).
Acknowledgments
Gareth Hughes
