Name
Herbert (Bertie) Sidney Spooner
12 September 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/07/1916
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
266825
Hertfordshire Regiment
Attached to 8th Bn., Gloucestershire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 12C.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Not on the Hemel Hempstead Memorials
Pre War
Herbert Sidney Spooner was born on 12 September 1894 in Hemel Hempstead, Herts, the son of John Barber and Annie Spooner (nee Holdham). His parents married on 18 November 1888 at St James the Great, Bierton, Bucks.
Shortly before the 1901 Census, the family moved to Watford and were living at 4 Mill Road, Watford, where his father was working as a Miller's Carter. Herbert first attended Victoria Infants’ School, Watford; then Beechen Grove Board School, Watford, from 7 January 1901 to 26 March 1902.
The whole Spooner family emigrated to Canada in 1911 with Joshua Spooner, sailing from London on the ship' Lake Erie' on 30 March bound for St John's., New Brunswick, although it is thought they disembarked at Halifax Nova Scotia en route to Winnipeg, Manitoba where they were listed on the 1911 Canadian Census. However, seven of them returned on 21 July 1913 to Liverpool, before returning to Watford where his parents then lived at 241, High St., Watford, Herts.
His father John died 1946 in Watford aged 80, and his mother Annie died 1957 in Watford aged 88. Both are buried in North Watford Cemetery.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford, and joined the Hertfordshire Regiment, initially with reg. no. 5426, later renumbered to 266825. His reg. no. suggests he enlisted before August 1915 and would have served in France from early 1916.
Herbert was killed in action on 27 July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £2 18s 3d. Unfortunately, Herbert’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing. His brother Harry died 13 November 1916 and is buried at Connaught Cemetery, Thiepval, France and also features on Watford Borough Roll of Honour.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), www.bedfordregiment.org.uk/hertsregt, www.findagrave.com.(with photo)
