Name
Oswald Percy Desborough
1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/11/1915
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
16954
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ST. SEVER CEMETERY, ROUEN
A. 15. 3.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Kimpton Village Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church, Kimpton, Not on the Welwyn Village memorials
Pre War
Oswald Percy Desborough was born in 1888 in Kimpton, Herts, the son of Henry and Charlotte Desborough of Bibshall Farm, Ayot St Lawence, nr Kimpton. He was one of three children, and was baptised at St Peter and St Paul's Church, Kimpton on 15 March 1888.
On the 1891, 1901 and 1911 Censuses, the family were living at Bibbs Hall Farm, Ayot St Lawrence and once he had left school, Oswald worked with his father on the farm.
Wartime Service
Oswald enlisted in Hertford and joined the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. He served in France from 26 July 1915, having travelled from Folkestone to Boulogne. They saw their first real action in September near Becordel and Mametz-Fricourt to the east of Albert.
He died on 24 November 1915 at the 12th General Hospital in Rouen, France, from wounds received in action, and is buried at the St Sever Cemetery, Rouen.
Additional Information
Probate was granted to Benjamin Gray, baker on 7 January 1916 with effects of £160 15s 9d. A war gratuity of £4 10s and pay owing was also awarded to Benjamin Gray, his executor. There appears to have been no pension paid, his mother having died in 1913.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
www.bedfordregiment.org.uk, Adrian Pitts, Brenda Palmer
