Name
Henry George Munt
1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/09/1920
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
26024
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HITCHIN CEMETERY
SE. CL. VIII. B.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
No Report (Private by Family)
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, Diocese - Book of Remembrance, St Albans Cathedral, St Albans, Diocese of St Albans - ROH, St Albans Cathedral, St Albans, Not on the Letchworth memorials
Pre War
Henry George Munt (junior) was born in 1891 in Hitchin and christened on 3 March 1892 in St. Mary’s Church, Hitchin. His parents were Henry Alexander Munt, house painter, and Ada Bella.
In 1901 the family were living at Maidencroft Lane, St Ippolyts, nr Hitchin. Present were both parents: Henry (born 1860) and Ada (born 1870), with Henry (senior) working as a house painter. Their children were: Henry George, Thomas Robert Hulland (1894), Robert Alexander (born 1897) and Ivy Agnes Patricia (born 1900).
By 1911 the family had moved to 13 Cannons Gardens, Hitchin Hill, Hitchin. Still present were both parents, with Henry (senior) still working as a house painter. The census recorded they had been married for 20 years with 7 children, all living. All the children listed above were present; Henry now 19 and a hairdresser, Thomas now 17 and a domestic gardener and Robert now 14 and an errand boy for a draper, Ivy. They had new sisters Florry (born 1904) and Nellie (born 1907) and brother Walter (born 1910).
Henry (junior) married Violet Louise Page (born 30 Nov 1892) on 24 Jun 1916 in the Clothall Parish Church.
Wartime Service
He attested on 11 Dec 1915, probably under the Derby Scheme(*1). He had been medically examined on 29 Nov 1915 and although quite tall for the time, he was of slight build and was described as 5’ 6 ¼” tall and 112 lbs with a 34” chest - when fully expanded, and had 5 teeth missing. Henry was mobilized on 9 Feb 1916 in Hitchin. He was 24 years old and living at 13 Cannons Cottages, Hitchin and working as a hairdresser. He was posted to the 4th Bedfords on ‘Home’ service and training from 9 Feb 1916 to 23 Jul 1916, when he left for France arriving the next day. He was clearly not a well man as the timeline of his service (below) shows.
He was posted to the Depot on 8 Oct 1916 and back in the UK between 9 Oct 1916 and 11 Mar 1917. During which time he was in the 3rd Northern General Hospital in Sheffield between 9 October and 21 November 1916 with Furnucle (*2) of his knee. He was then posted to the 3rd Battalion on 1 Dec 1916.
On the 12 Mar 1917 he was posted back to France via the Base Depot in France. Then posted to the 7th Bn. Bedfords in Apr. He suffered from bronchitis in Sep spending much of the rest of the year being treated.
He was granted leave from 5 Feb to 19 Feb 1918 before returning to action and was wounded in his right thigh by a shell or gun shot – reports vary – on 24 Apr 1918 and spent time being treated, before his bronchitis recurred , returning to England late Jan 1919.
He was in hospital, this time the 1st Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge with bronchitis between 27 Jan 1919 and 24 Mar 1919. A medical report was compiled during March, it was noted that he suffered from bronchitis three times while he had been in the Army. The report gave other information about his condition. His bronchitis was described as chronic, he had a rapid heart, it noted his previous gun shot wound (previously described as a shell wound) and that his condition was attributable to his war service.
There was also a written statement made by Henry on 10 Mar 1919, he said that he had bronchitis caused by exposure in Sep 1916. He had spent time in three French hospitals; 73 General Hospital at Trouville, 56 and 4 General Hospital in Etaples. His last employer had been Mrs W Harvey Hairdressers in Bucklersbury, Hitchin, where he too was a hairdresser.
The following is a chronological overview of his service(*1)
Home Service: 9 February 1916 to 23 July 1916
10 Feb 1916 – posted to 4th Bn. Bedfords.
Overseas Service France: 24 Jul 1916 to 8 Oct 1916
24 Jul 1916 - embarked for France.
4 Aug 1916 - admitted to 1 Royal Naval Field Ambulance - bronchitis.
12 Aug 1916 - returned to duty.
6 Sep 1916 - admitted 1 Royal Naval Field Ambulance TB (tuberculosis) lungs.
7 September 1916 - admitted 22 Casualty Clearing Station - pulmonary tuberculosis.
11 Sep 1916 - from 22 CCS to 9 Ambulance Train.
11 Sep 1916 - admitted to 4 General Hospital.
8 Oct 1916 - debility and boil of left knee to England by Hospital Ship.
Home Service: 9 Oct 1916 to 11 Mar 1917
9 Oct to 21 Nov 1916 in 3rd Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.
9 Oct 1916 – posted to Depot.
1 Dec 1916 - posted to 3rd Bn. Bedfords.
Overseas Service France: 12 Mar 1917 to 27 Jan 1919
12 Mar 1917 - posted to 17 Base Depot in France.
1 Apr 1917 - posted to 7th Bedfords.
13 Sep 1917 - admitted to 54 Field Ambulance - bronchitis.
14 Sep 1917 - admitted to 10 SN(?) with NYN(?) mild.
27 Sepr 1917 - admitted to 7 Convalescent Depot - bronchitis.
30 Dec 1917 - joined “L” 9(?) Battalion from Marl,(?) Camp.
23 Jan 1918 – reposted to 7th Bedfords.
19 Feb 1918 - granted leave from 5 Feb 1918 to 19 Feb 1918
2 Apr 1917 - posted to 7th Bedfords.
24 Apr 1918 - wounded in action.
23(sic) Apr 1918 – to 2/3 Field Ambulance – BW (bullet wound) thigh.
25 Apr 1918 - admitted 47 Casualty Clearing Station.
26(sic) Apr 1918 - admitted 1 Australian General Hospital (recorded as SW shrapnel wound right thigh).
25 Apr 1918 - admitted to 73 General Hospital (recorded as GSW gun shot wound right thigh).
11 Jul 1918 - admitted to 121 Convalescent Depot.
27 Aug 1918 - admitted to 73rd General Hospital - bronchitis.
7 Nov 1918 - admitted to 121 Convalescent Depot - bronchitis.
23 Der 1918 - posted to 2nd Bedfords for records.
14 Jan 1919 - admitted to 56 General Hospital - bronchitis mild.
Home Service: 28 Jan 1919 to 24 Mar 1919
27 Janu 1919 - returned to England.
27 Jan 1919 to 24 Mar 1919 - 1st Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge with bronchitis.
During Mar 1919 a medical report was compiled, prior to discharge.
24 Mar 1919 – Discharged as no longer physically fit for war service.
Civilian:
25 Mar 1919 he became a civilian.
He died on 24 September 1920 and is buried in Hitchin Cemetery in Grave southeast 88, with a private, non-CWGC headstone.
When he died he was living at 6 Churchyard, Hitchin.
Additional Information
Henry received a grant of £25 which was made by the Military on 20 Aug 1919 for the purposes of starting a hairdresser’s business. His address was recorded as Quickswood, Kershaws Hill, Hitchin.
He received his own war medals and signed for them on 3 May 1921.
His pension cards record Violet Louisa Munt as his widow and dependant, living at 11 Churchyard, Hitchin. She was awarded a grant of £5 paid on 14 Dec but there are no details of any pension awarded, however elsewhere this was recorded as 20s/per week from 29 Sep 1920. One card recorded that he died of tuberculosis as a result of being gassed, but this information does not appear elsewhere.
After Henry's death Violet remarried and became Mrs Ellis of 37, Glebe Rd., Letchworth, Herts.
Of his brothers Thomas R Munt WR/283838 1st Forestry Coy RE served in also died of illness ‘in service’ on 11 Apr 1919 in France and Robert Munt served in the Cambridgeshire Regiment and survived.
Henry's headstone (not CWGC) reads:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF HENRY GEORGE
THE DEARLY LOVED HUSBAND OF VIOLET LOUISA MUNT
WHO DIED SEPT. 24TH 1920 AGED 28 YEARS
WE CANNOT LORD, THEY PURPOSE SEE, BUT ALL IS WELL, THATS(sic) DONE BY THEE
THE DEARLY LOVED HUSBAND OF VIOLET LOUISA MUNT
WHO DIED SEPT. 24TH 1920 AGED 28 YEARS
WE CANNOT LORD, THEY PURPOSE SEE, BUT ALL IS WELL, THATS(sic) DONE BY THEE
*1 The Lord Derby Scheme encouraged men to voluntarily register their name on the principle that once registered they would be called up for service only when necessary. As an added incentive married men were advised that they would only be called up once the supply of single men was exhausted.
*2 A medical term for a boil, which is a painful, pus-filled bump that forms under the skin when a hair follicle is infected by bacteria.
*3 Please note there may be some errors due to dates and abbreviations being difficult to read (faint or difficult handwriting). Also generally, the terms used are written in abbreviated form on his service record and may be open to different interpretation.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
