Name
James William Welch
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/05/1916
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
14628
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BIENVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY
IV. B. 8.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Essendon Village Memorial, St Mary The Virgin Original ROH, Essendon, St Mary The Virgin New ROH, Essendon, Ind. Tapestry, St Mary The Virgin, Essendon(*1)
Pre War
Born on the 1st January 1897 in Essendon, Herts. Son of Joseph Thomas and Martha Welch. Baptised on the 28th February 1897, in Essendon, Herts.
James was one of six children. In 1901 he was living at 4 Terrace, Essendon with his parents. In the 1911 census he is recorded as William aged 15, living with his Parents, 2 Brothers and 3 Sisters, in Mill Green, Essendon, Hatfield, Herts. His occupation is given as a Garden Boy.
Wartime Service
James enlisted in the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, with the service number 14628.
He embarked at Southampton aboard the SS Express Queen with his Battalion on the 30th July 1915 for Le Havre, France. CWGC Inscription Reads: “Son of Joseph and Martha Welch, of Essendon, Mill Green, Hatfield, Herts.”
Additional Information
A family hand stitched tapestry, is in St Mary's Church, it has a shield to the Bedfordshire regiment and the 'W Welch' is James William Welch, 6th Battalion Beds KIA May 4th 1916, the other name on the tapestry ' C Welch', his brother Charles Welch, who stitched the tapestry while in hospital in France with frostbite - he survived the war, but lost his toes. We are told that the frame broke to reveal the picture of his dead brother James in uniform. The tapestry is held by the family.
James is also commemorated on a family headstone in Essendon (St Mary) Churchyard, his inscription reads:
IN EVER LOVING MEMORY WILLIAM JAMES WELCH
THE DEAR BELOVED SON OF JOSEPH AND MARTHA WELCH OF THE 6TH BEDS REGT.
KILLED IN ACTION NEAR YPRES, BELGIUM
THE DEAR BELOVED SON OF JOSEPH AND MARTHA WELCH OF THE 6TH BEDS REGT.
KILLED IN ACTION NEAR YPRES, BELGIUM
MAY 4TH 1916 (Probable) AGED 19 YEARS
. . unreadable? . . THAN THIS THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS
ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY OF
. . unreadable? . . THAN THIS THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS
ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY OF
unreadable?
Acknowledgments
Sue and Colin Rees, Stuart Osborne
