In September 2009, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire (who lives in Preston)
requested details of Preston men who fell during the Great War. This was in preparation
for the Armistice Service in London on 11 November. It seems apt for the November
web-
At Hitchin, there is a War Memorial by the church gates of St Mary’s (photographed above left and used with the kind permission of David Barlow) which gives details of the fallen and which includes men who were born in Preston but were not living there when they enlisted.
Inside St Martin’s Church at Preston there is a framed remembrance of men killed in the two World Wars who were living in the village when they enlisted (above right). There were other combatants who were born in Preston but were living elsewhere in 1914.
Preston men who died in the Great War
Arthur Chalkley was born in the late spring of 1880, the son of William and Amy. The couple were local people – William was born at Waterdell, Ippollitts and Amy was born in the village of Charlton.
By 1881, the Chalkleys had moved from the countryside into Hitchin and for the next
twenty years William worked as a brick-
The couple had one son, William Arthur (Bill), who was born at Ley Green in the winter of 1904. In 1911, the small family were living at Back Lane, Preston where Arthur was a stockman on a farm.
When Arthur enlisted, he was living at Little Munden, a village five miles to the east of Stevenage. He was Private 4393 in the Hertfordshire Regiment, First Battalion. He was killed on 4 September 1916 (aged 36) and was buried at Knightsbridge Cemetery.
Following the death of her husband, Harriet and Bill remained in Preston for the
rest of their lives – living together at Crunnells Green and later at 20 Swedish
Cottages, Chequers Lane. Harriet (who didn’t re-
William James Ewington was born at Chequers Lane, Preston in the spring of 1893.
He was the son of William (a hay-
He enlisted quickly as Private 6856 in the Bedfordshire Regiment, First Battalion but died on 7 November 1914 (aged 21). He was buried at Le Touret Cemetery. William’s sacrifice is noted on Hitchin’s War memorial.
His father, William, was living at Back Lane in 1915 and remained in Preston for the rest of his life. He died in 1936 and was buried at St Martins, Preston on 22 June.
Sidney Sharp was born at Breachwood Green, Kings Walden in the winter of 1885, the son of Herbert (a forester for the Stagenhoe estate) and Emily (nee Peacock of Ley Green, Kings Walden).
In 1891, the Sharps were living at Back Lane, Preston until 1911 when they had moved to Chequers Lane. Sidney was also a farm labourer.
He joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, Second Battalion (Private 20818). Sidney was killed on 30 July 1916 and was buried at Thiepval Cemetery. His death is noted on the Hitchin War Memorial.
At the time, Herbert and Emily were living at 9 Council Cottages, Chequers Lane, Preston. Although, the family does not feature at Preston in the 1920 electoral roll, they were back at Chequers Lane by 1925 and in 1951 Herbert was noted at 11 Chequers Lane. He died (aged 93) in 1957 and was buried at St Martins on 28 November 1957.
William Jenkins was born in the summer of 1895, the son of William and Minnie (nee Boston) Jenkins – both from established Preston families. The Jenkins were living at School Lane, Preston in 1901 and 1911 and William, Snr., was a cowman. William , Jnr., was a farm labourer.
William joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, First Battalion and was killed at the end of the War on 20 November 1918 (aged 23). He was buried at Etaples and is featured on Hitchin’s War Memorial.
William and Minnie lived at Hitchwood Cottages until their deaths in February 1944 and January 1962, respectively. They were buried at St Martins.
John Thomas Powell was born at Preston in the spring of 1884, probably at Crunnells Green. His parents, Henry (‘Harry’) and Emma were born in Hertfordshire and went to Preston in the early 1880’s. They were living at Back Lane in 1891 when Henry was a farm labourer. They continued to move around as in 1901 the family wasat East Meon, Hampshire, where Henry was a gamekeeper.
Meanwhile, John remained at Preston and in 1911 he was living with his sister, Caroline and her husband, George Peters at Church Lane, Preston. He was a farm labourer.
He enlisted with the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry (Private 26242) and was killed on 11 April 1917. He was buried at Saulty and his death is recorded on the Hitchin War Memorial.
Martin Henry Farey was the son of Amos and Mary (nee Isaacson) who married in the late autumn of 1892 when Amos was almost forty years old. Their first son, Martin arrived in the spring of 1894 at Preston. By 1901, the family had moved into Hitchin and were living at 70 Bancroft. Amos was still working as an agricultural labourer.
In August 1914, Martin joined the 7th Hertfordshire Regiment, First Battalion (Private 2211) He was sent to the Western Front in 1914 and fought at Ypres, Lens and Bethune and, after heavy shelling, he suffered wounds from which he died on 5 December 1915 (aged 21)
John William Reed was born in the summer of 1882 at Preston, the son of George and Mary (nee Thrussell). George was from Kings Walden and Mary, from Preston. The family was living at Sootfield Green in 1891 and George was a farm worker. They had moved to Saffron Walden, Essex by 1901 where George was a gamekeeper.
John Reed enlisted in the Suffolk Regiment (Private 26766) at Melbourn, Cambridgeshire and later transferred to the Queens (Royal West Surrey) Regiment (Private G/21093). He was killed on Monday, 14 May 1917 and was buried at Flanders. He is featured on the Melbourn Roll of Honour.
He enlisted in March 1888 and when war broke out, he was a reservist who was immediately
called-
Arthur James Palmer was the son of Arthur and Lizzie (nee Fairey) who were living at Hitchwood Cottages in 1911. Arthur was born in the winter of 1892 and was a cowman.
He volunteered in August 1914 and was a Private in the Hertfordshire Regiment. Because of ill health he was not sent overseas and was invalided out of the service in December 1914. By then his parents were living in Chequers Lane. Arthur married Alice Maud Thrussell at St Martins, Preston on 30 June 1917. He gave his occupation as roadman. The couple had four children: William C (1918), Reuben L (1919), Winifred A (1921) and Kathleen M (1922).
Walter Charles and Henry George Peters were born in 1894 and the spring of 1898, the sons of Henry George (a waggoner in 1911) and Caroline (nee Powell). The family was living at Church Road, Preston in 1911.
Walter volunteered in January 1915 and was a Gunner in the Royal Field Artillery. He was sent to France in the same year and was involved in heavy fighting which included the Battles of Ypres, Loos, Arras and Cambrai. He was wounded but rejoined his Regiment and was demobbed in March 1920.
Henry joined the 1st Buffs (East Kent) Regiment in January 1916. In July, he was stationed at Rouen and Calais guarding the detention camps. He was demobilised in November 1919.
On leaving the army, the brothers returned to the family home at 5 Holly Cottages, Back Lane, Preston but both had left Preston by 1930. Walter married Philadelphia C Heathorn at St Martins, Preston on 22 November 1922 and the couple remained in the Hitchin area having two children: Queenie (1927) and David (1931).
Lawrence Henry Peters was born in the late autumn of 1896, the son of Thomas (a horsekeeper in 1911) and Martha (nee Andrews). The family was living at Church Lane in 1911.
He volunteered in May 1915 and was sent to the Western Front as a Private in the 12th Royal Sussex Regiment. He fought in the Battles of Ypres, Festubert, the Somme and Cambrai. Lawrence was demobbed in March 1919 when he returned to the family home, now at Chequers Lane.
By 1925, he had moved to the Hitchwood area and in the spring of 1924, he married Nora E Hoggett at Newmarket. The couple lived in the Hitchin district and had two children: Oliver J (1925) and Sheila (1929).
Frederick Woodrow was the son of Frederick and Mary Annie, and was born in Norfolk in the summer of 1891. The couple were still living in the county in 1901 when Frederick, Snr., was a wheelwright and carpenter.
Frederick, Jnr., joined in 1916 and was assigned to 2nd Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). That year, he was drafted to France and fought at Ypres, Passchendale and Arras. He was invalided to England owing to ill health and when he was discharged in October 1918, he held the rank of Lance Corporal.
He returned to the family home at Holly Cottages, Back Lane where the family were still living in 1920, but by 1925, they had left the village.
Soldiers from Preston who survived the Great War
(Above, l to r:) Ernest Wray’s 1914-
comic strip.
(Above) Ernest Wray’s Memorial Plaque and Soldier’s Small Book
Ernest Wray, pictured right (born in Preston, 8 December 1891) was the son of Alfred and Emily (nee Currell) Wray who lived at Back Lane, Preston from 1891.
He enlisted in 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment, 3rd Battalion on 5 September 1914 (Private 17002). He was killed in action on 24 August 1915 and was buried at Bethune Cemetery.
Ernest’s story (including the telegram his parents received following his death) is recounted in detail at this link: Ernest Wray. His parent’s, Alfred and Emily (nee Currell), can be researched at this link: Alfred and Emily Wray.
Harry Edward Harper was born in Preston during the winter of 1895. He was the son of William and Sarah. By 1901 the family had relocated to Battlesden, Bedfordshire where William was working as a gamekeeper.
Harry enlisted in the Bedfordshire 6th Battalion (Private 20056) at Ampthill, Beds. He died from wounds suffered at Flanders on 23 July 1916 (aged 21) and was buried at Heilly Station Cemetery, Somme. His name is recorded on the Little Brickhill, Bucks Roll of Honour.
At the time of his death, his parents were living at Hoo Farm Cottages, Offley, Herts
(Charles) Stephen Ashton (left) was the son of Preston baker, Tom and Catherine (nee Smith). He was born in 1884 at Stevenage and shortly afterwards the family moved to The Old Forge bakery on Church Road, Preston.
In order to join the army, Stephen exaggerated his age and gave himself another Christian
name, Charles. After fighting in the Boer War, he volunteered in September 1914 and
was appointed as Sergeant in the Hertfordshire Dragoons. In August 1915, he was sent
to Palestine where he fought at Gaza and in the taking of Jerusalem. In 1917, he
was transferred to Mesopotamia where he again saw action. He returned home after
being de-
Shortly afterwards, Stephen married Lilian Wightman at Luton in the summer of 1920. The couple had two children, Joan M (1921) ND Thomas E (1925).
The story of the Ashton family at Preston can be found at this link: Tom Ashton
Henry James Armstrong (shown right) Henry was born in September 1883, the son of Frederick and Emma (nee Kirkby) who were tenants at Preston Hill Farm.
Henry joined the 4th Bedfordshire Regiment in June 1916 as a private. In 1917, he
was drafted to the Western Front where he took part in the battles of the Somme,
Arras, Ypres and Cambrai. He was wounded twice. He returned home and was de-
He lived at Chequers Lane, probably at Elm Cottage (6 Chequers Cottages) with his mother, Emma, until her death in February 1929. Henry died and was buried at St Martins 11 January 1961. The story of the Armstrongs can be found at this link: Armstrongs.
A. Carter gave his address as The Chequers, Preston, Hitchin when he was demobbed in February 1919. Unfortunately, I have been unable to discover anything about him or his family – he appears neither in the 1901 or 1911 census at Preston nor in the electoral rolls of 1920 or 1925 in the village.
Robert (Bob) (right) (born 19 April 1894) and Frank (17 July 1899) Wray were two of Alfred and Emily’s (nee Currell) sons. The family were living at Back Lane from 1891 where Alfred was a hurdlemaker.
Bob volunteered in August 1914, joining the Bedfordshire Regiment as a Private and was sent to France the following year. He fought in the battles of Festubert, Arras, Albert and Vimy Ridge. He also fought throughout the Retreat and Advance of 1918.
During his career, he attained the rank of Lance Corporal and was wounded three times. He was demobbed in December 1919 and received the Military Medal.
Robert married Elizabeth (Lizzie) May Jenkins at St Mary’s, Hitchin on 18 November 1922. The couple moved to Peters Green, Kimpton where they had twelve children.
The story of Bob’s life can be found at this link: Bob Wray.
Frank Wray (left) joined the Bedfordshire Regiment in 1917 as a Private and was sent to the Western Front in the same year. He fought in the Battles of Ypres, Cambrai, the Somme, Neuve Chapelle and the Retreat and Advance of 1918 when he was wounded. After the Armistice he was sent into Germany with the Army of Occupation and served on the Rhine. He returned to England in 1920 and was demobbed in April.
Frank married Margaret Campbell at St Martins, Preston on 2 June 1926. The couple lived at 9 Council Cottages, Chequers Lane, Preston and had four children. Then, Frank died from influenza and was buried at St Martins on 15 October 1936. The story of Frank’s life can be found at this link: Frank Wray.
William Swain (right) was born at Preston in 1889. He was the son of George and Mary Swain. The story of this family can be found at this link: Swains.
He served with the 4th Bedfordshire Rifles and was awarded the Military Medal.
The story of his family can be found at this link: Swains
Edwards Peters (right) was born at Preston in 1885.
He was the son of Thomas and Martha. The story of the Peters family can be found at this link: Peters.
Clearly from his uniform Edward was involved the Great War.
Sources: National Roll of Soldiers; Soldiers who died in World War I.