Name
Jesse Thomas Glenister (*1)
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/06/1917
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
42094
Royal Irish Rifles
16th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WYTSCHAETE MILITARY CEMETERY
I. F. 5.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St John the Evangelist Church Memorial, Boxmoor, John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley Mills, Apsley
Pre War
Jesse Thomas Glenister (known as Thomas) was born on 30 November 1897 in Hemel Hempstead, the son of Amos and Lois Glenister and one of nine children although two died in infancy.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 10 Corner Hall, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, where his father was working as a Blacksmith. They remained at the same address on the 1911 Census at which time 13 year old Thomas was at school. His older brother Alfred was also living there with his sons Frederick and Alfred who were 11 and 9. Thomas attended Two Waters school from 1 February 1905 and left when he was 13. His two nephews attended the same school.
When he left school on 7 November 1911, Thomas went to work at John Dickinson & Co like his brother William. Sadly his mother died in March 1915 and his father died the following month.
Thomas continued working at John Dickinson & Co and at the outbreak of war was too young to enlist initially, but when he reached the age of 18 he obtained permission from his employer to join up.
(His next of kin is given on CWGC records as his brother Amos, Mr A W Glenister, 87 Bostall Hill, Plumstead, SE18)
Wartime Service
Thomas enlisted in Watford in June 1916 and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment (reg. no. 31683). He was posted to Felixstowe, Suffolk for basic training with the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion and after seven months was sent to France.
Once in France he was posted to the 16th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles and joined them at Ouderdom, near Poperinghe, Belgium on 12 February 1917. The Battalion moved to the Wytschaete-Messines sector and were engaged in trench digging, creating dug outs, gun emplacements and laying narrow gauge railway track. They were subject to enemy shelling on a regular basis and suffered many casualties. When the attack on Messines Ridge began, the work continued, allowing transport to move forward. Much of the work had to be carried out at night because of the proximity of the enemy's position and the working parties suffered heavy shelling almost every night. Thomas was killed on 21 June 1917 whilst doing this work as a member of one of the working parties,
He was 19 years old and is buried at Wytschaete Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Additional Information
*1 T J Glenister on the memorials. Brother to William Glenister who served with the Hertfordshire Regiment, died 14/11/1917 and is named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. He is also named on the Boxmoor and Hemel Hempstead Memorials. His brother Alfred received a war gratuity of £3 with his pay owing of £4 5s being divided between his siblings Alfred, Amos, Joseph, Annie and Beatrice. Joseph later requested that his share be given to Mrs Elizabeth Glenister (his wife). His brother Amos served with the Middlesex Regiment but was discharged as medically unfit on 9 August 1916. His brother Joseph Glenister served with the Royal Garrison Artillery and survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage,org.uk, www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com.
