Name
James Francis Dear
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/04/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
33513
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 41
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin War Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
His home was 2, St. Andrew's Place, Hitchin.
Wartime Service
Of the Hitchin War Memorials, the name ‘F. Dear’ only appears on the principal town memorial outside St. Mary's Church and it was difficult to be certain as to which person is being remembered.
He was in fact a Private soldier in the 8th Battalion of the Bedfords who was born in Hitchin, resided there and enlisted in Bedford. He was given the Regimental Number 33513 and was killed in action on the 19th April 1917. On that day the 8th Bedfords sustained intense hostile shelling from bombing, counter-attacks and barrage fire, but all were repulsed. This was at a position south of Loos Crassier and is the most probable place of his death.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 41 of the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais in France along with 20,000 of his comrades.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
