Name
Gerald Henry Field
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/05/1915
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Stoker 1st Class
K/20039
Royal Navy
H.M.S Pembroke
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HITCHIN CEMETERY
South East Extension Grave 915
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin War Memorial,
Hitchin British Boys' School Memorial, Hitchin,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
Born 7th March 1895 in Wellhead, Hertfordshire - possibly a farm near Charlton. He was the only son of Mr Henry and Mary Ann Field of Town Hall Cottage, Payne's Park, Hitchin and another address appears to be 29 Ickleford Road, Hitchin.
He attended Hitchin British Boys' School.
Wartime Service
His Service Number was K.20039 and he served on the torpedo boat destroyer H.M.S. ‘Ettrick’ in August 1914, but at the time of his death he was attached to H.M.S. ‘Pembroke’ which was the shore establishment of the Royal Navy at Chatham.
Gerald had served in the Royal Navy for three years and died in hospital of inflammation of the heart due to strain sustained in the execution of his duties. He died at 7.00am and his father was at his bedside.
His remains were brought to Grave SE Ext 915 in Hitchin Cemetery from Haslar Hospital, Gosport and a burial service was held in St. Mary's Church, Hitchin. A visit to the cemetery in 1999 was unable to locate his headstone.
Additional Information
We have an early photograph of Gerald's headstone as well as a more recent one so we are able to compare the inscriptions. They read:
In Loving Memory of
MARY ANN FIELD,
DIED JUNE 12TH 1914,
Also of GERALD H. FIELD
SON OF THE ABOVE,
(H.M.S. ETTRICK)
DIED ON ACTIVE SERVICE MAY10TH. 1916, AGED 21 YEARS.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild