Name
Reuben Dean
1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/11/1914
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7787
Bedfordshire Regiment
"C" Company, 1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 10 and 11.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
St Lawrence Church Memorial Plaque, Bovingdon, Memorial Plaque, Memorial Hall, Bovingdon, Not on the Flaunden memorials
Pre War
Reuben Dean was born in 1882 in Flaunden, Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, the son of Arthur and Mary Ann (Geary) Dean and baptised at Flaunden on 14 May 1882. He was one of ten children, although two died in infancy.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Grove Lane, Chesham, Bucks, where his father was working as a hay binder. They had moved to 'The Bank', Bovingdon by 1901 when Reuben was working as an agricultural labourer.
By 1911 Reuben had joined the army and was listed as a private in the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and living at Maida Barracks, Stanhope Lines, Aldershot. His parents remained in Bovingdon, living in the High Street. His father died in 1913 aged 58.
He married Dolly Grace Smith in Hemel Hempstead in early 1912. They had two children, Lucy Annie (registered as Dean) who was born in 1910 before they married, and Grace Lily born on 17 September 1912.
His widow later married Albert Philbey in 1919 and lived at Bank Cottages, Bovingdon, Boxmoor.
Wartime Service
It is believed Reuben was already a serving soldier at the outbreak of war and the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment were at Mullingar in Ireland. They left from Belfast on SS Oronsa at 2.00 pm on 14 August and arrived at Le Havre late on 15 August. Having disembarked the following day, they marched to a rest camp on the top of a hill and on 18 August left on a train, arriving at Le Cateau at about 10.00 pm.
They first met the enemy at the Battle of Mons on 23 August and fought during the retreat to Le Cateau. They were then in action at the First Battle of the Marne and the Battle of the Aisne in September, followed by the Battle of La Bassee in October.
The First Battle of Ypres began on 6 November 1914 when the battalion were in trenches south of the Menin Road. They received orders to go immediately by motor bus to Ypres, about 40km, where the enemy were in danger of breaking through. Reuben was killed in action on 7 November 1914, aged 32, when the enemy broke through the line. Although there was some success in driving them back, there were significant casualties with 7 officers and 140 other ranks killed or wounded, with 7 missing.
Reuben has no known grave, but his name is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, France.
Additional Information
Brother of Private William Dean who died in service on 3 Sep 1916 in Iraq and is also commemorated on the Bovingdon memorials. His widow received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £3 12s 1d. She also received a pension of 18s 6d a week for herself and her two children.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Malcolm Lennox, Dick West, www.bedfordregiment.org.uk
