Name
Hugh Maxwell Webster
1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/07/1916
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
3878
East Lancashire
7th Bn
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BAPAUME POST MILITARY CEMETERY, ALBERT
I.B.8
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
St Thomas Church Memorial, West Hyde, Barnet memorials not yet fully researched(*1)
Pre War
Hugh Maxwell Webster was born in Barnet, London in 1898, son of Henry and Mary Webster, and was baptised in the parish of Friern Barnet on May 22nd, 1898.
In 1901 he was living in Torrington Park, Finchley, with his
parents, an older brother and sister with a cook and housemaid living in the
house. His father, who was a woollen agent, and his mother were both born in
Leeds. In 1911 Hugh was a pupil at Woodhurst Boys’ School, a small school in
Westerham, Kent with just 22 pupils aging from 9-17 years old. His family later
moved to Lynsters, Rickmansworth where they lived until at least 1923. The home
address for his medals was given as 115 Fox Street, London.
Wartime Service
Hugh Maxwell Webster joined the Honourable Artillery Company on 16 June 1915 as Private 3878, and was posted to France on the 10 October that year. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 7th Battalion, East Lancashire regiment on the 15 January 1916.
The Battle of Albert took place between 1-13 July 1916 and was part of the Anglo-French offensive operations during the Battle of the Somme. The Unit War Diary reports that on 4 July 1916 the Battalion took over newly captured trenches at La Boiselle from the 7th Battalion, Royal Lancashire Regiment. The following morning they were ordered to attack a blocked communication trench leading to the German front line. The attack was preceded by a heavy artillery bombardment of an hour’s duration. As the Battalion moved forward, bombing it’s way towards the objective with grenades, the men on the left of the attack were held up by heavy machine gun fire and were eventually forced to withdraw to their original positions. The operation was not entirely successful and 4 Officers and 31 Other Ranks were killed, with 6 Officers and 49 Other Ranks being wounded.
Hugh Webster was buried at the Bapaume Post Military Cemetery, Somme, France. He was just 18 years old. His effects of £49 9s 4d with a War gratuity of £5 were left to his father, Henry Webster.
Additional Information
Photo source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56205732. Service Record held at National Archives Ref. WO 339/54376. *1 If known, the ‘Barnet’ memorial is given, however ‘Barnet’ now appears to be the generic name for many historically separate Hertfordshire locations with Barnet in their name. While we try to unravel these – any help gratefully received! – we have to record ‘Barnet’. It may be that a person appears on several historical ‘barnets’. As this work is done, we will add further detail.
Acknowledgments
Pat Hamilton
Pat Hamilton, Paul Johnson
