Name
Gerard Owen Lydekker
20 Dec 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/06/1917
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st/5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ALEXANDRIA (HADRA) WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY
B. 15.
Egypt
Headstone Inscription
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial,
Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Harpenden,
Haileybury College Cloister Wall Memorial, Hertford Heath
Pre War
Gerald Owen was born on 20 Dec 1887 and baptised on 22 Jan 1888 in Harpenden, Hertfordshire son of Richard Lydekker F.R.S. and Lucy Marianne (Davys) Lydekker.
Educated at Haileybury College 1902-06.
Wartime Service
At some time Gerald enlisted in 5th Battalion Bedford Regiment and was commissioned Lieutenant.
He was appointed battalion Quartermaster prior to sailing for Gallipoli on 26 Jul 1915, landing on 11 Aug 1915. After the evacuation from Suvla Bay served for a year in the Canal Zone in Egypt before service in Gaza.
He died of myasthenia gravis in No. 17 Central Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt while on this service.
Additional Information
Miss H M Lydekker, Harpenden Lodge, Harpenden, Herts,, ordered his headstone inscription: “FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH”.
Arrears of £150 6s paid to Brother Arthur and Sister Helen.
Brother of Lieutenant Cyril Richard Lydekker, also of the Bedfordshires, who was killed in action on 15 Aug 1915 at Gallipoli and is also commemorated on these memorials.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Malcolm Lennox, Karen Smith - Acting Director of External Relations www.haileybury.com/honour Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk)
