Name
Joseph Leonard Swain
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/11/1915
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
16546
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LA BRIQUE MILITARY CEMETERY NO.1
Row F, Grave 15.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour,
St Michael and All Angels Church Memorial, Watford
Pre War
Son of Sarah (nee BROWN) and the late Sidney SWAIN.
His parents married 1868 in the Watford district. Sidney died 7 March 1911 at University College Hospital, Middx, aged 61, and was buried 11 March in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Sarah died 1922 in Watford aged 77, and was buried 25 January, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Joseph was born 10 October 1884 in Watford, and attended first Beechen Grove Infants’ School, Watford; then Beechen Grove Board School from 12 January 1891 to 2 December 1898. He resided in Watford.
On the 1891 Census, a scholar aged 6 he lived in Watford, with his parents and five siblings. On the 1901 Census, a carpenter apprentice aged 16, he still lived in Watford, with his parents and two siblings. On the 1911 Census, a house builder aged 26, he still lived in Watford, with his widowed mother and no siblings.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Watford; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 30 August 1915, and was killed in action.
Additional Information
Joseph is also commemorated on the family grave in Watford Cemetery. His part of the inscription reads:
ALSO OF PRIVATE JOSEPH LEONARD SWAIN, 6TH BATT. BEDS. REGIMENT, KILLED AT YPRES NOV. 10TH 1915. AGED 32 YEARS(*1).
*1 GWGC records his age as 31.
Unfortunately, Joseph’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
There are In Memoriams to Joseph in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 11 November 1916, 10 November 1917 and 9 November 1918.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
