Name
Ralph Ebenezer Farey
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/10/1917
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
19925
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 48 to 50 and 162A.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Baldock Town Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Baldock, Not on the Hitchin memorials, Not on the Royston memorials
Pre War
He was born in Royston and enlisted in Bedford. His wife was Alice S. Farey of 12, Kent Place, Union Road, Hitchin.
Wartime Service
He served in the 4th Battalion and held Regimental Number 19925. He was killed in action.
The 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion was in the 190th Brigade of the 63rd Division of XVIII Corps of the 5th Army. His death occurred during the 2nd Battle of Passchendaele. The Brigade attacked the position about Paddybeek to the west of Westroosebeek at 5.50am. The going was very bad with the men up to their knees in mud. The temperature was 44⁰F with showers. “The enemy were aware of the impending attack and a barrage came down on our troops before they moved off thereby causing heavy casualties”. The attack made little headway and the Brigade only advanced 150-200 yards. The Battalion suffered 54 dead, 157 wounded and 23 missing on that one day.
He has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing in Belgium.
Additional Information
Husband of Alice S. Farey, of 12, Kent Place, Union Rd., Hitchin, Herts.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines, Jonty Wild, Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson
