Name
Thomas Edward Gregory
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/12/1914
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Serjeant/Sergeant
2301
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MILITARY CEMETERY, RICHEBOURG-L'AVOUE
Plot I, Row F, Grave 13.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, St John the Evangelist Church Memorial, Watford, Watford Post Office Memorial, St James' Church Memorial, Watford Fields, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Not on the Bushey memorials
Pre War
Son of George and the late Elizabeth (nee CHARD) GREGORY; husband of Jeanette Elizabeth (nee PENNY) GREGORY of Watford.
His parents married 20 April 1864 at St Mary’s, Wimbledon, Surrey. Elizabeth died 14 March 1912 in Watford aged 73, and was buried 20 March in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; George died 2 May 1917 in Watford aged 75, and was buried 5 May, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery. There is a Death announcement for George in the Observer dated 5 May 1917.
Thomas was born 5 January 1878 in Bushey, Herts, and baptised 21 April 1878 at St James’, Bushey. He attended first Beechen Grove Infants’ School, Watford; then Victoria Boys’ School, Watford, from 19 January 1885 to 7 July 1891. He married 11 April 1903 at St Mary’s, Watford; they had seven children. He was appointed Postman Croxley Green, Herts, April 1912. Jeanette never remarried, she died 20 December 1948 aged 73, and was buried 23 December in North Watford Cemetery.
On the 1881 Census, aged 3 he lived in Watford, with his parents and five siblings. On the 1891 Census, a scholar aged 13, he still lived in Watford, with his parents and four siblings. On the 1901 Census, a stable lad aged 22, he lived in Severn Stoke, Worcs.
On the 1911 Census, a caretaker for the G.P.O. aged 33, he lived in Watford, with his wife and five children.
He enlisted in Watford 24 November 1913 a carpenter
Wartime Service
Thomas was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 6 November 1914, and was killed in action.
He gets a brief mention in the Regimental War Diary for December 1914.
Additional Information
There are articles about Thomas in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 2 January 1915, and 9 January 1915 (including a Death announcement); in the Watford Illustrated also dated 9 January 1915; and in Watford in the 20th Century, Part 1. Plus In Memoriams in the Watford Observer dated 25 December 1915, 1 January 1916, 30 December 1916, 29 December 1917 and 21 December 1918. Thomas is also commemorated on the GREGORY family grave in Vicarage Road Cemetery Unfortunately, Thomas’ Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing. Some information provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk. He is mentioned in the story of William Sell, which can be found here in the Archive at: Archive - Hertfordshire Men & Women - Individuals Stories - William Sell (MM) - Biography Include others from the Herts Reg
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
