Name
David (poss A C) Oakley
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/05/1915
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7635
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 31 and 33.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hertford Town Memorial, Christchurch Plaque, now in Holy Trinity Church, Bengeo, Not on the Great Munden memorials
Pre War
Born in 1887 in Great Munden son of Lewis and Mary Oakley. He had one sister Clara and three brothers.
In 1901 he was living in White Davis Lane, Furneux Pelham where both he and his father were farm labourers. The 1911 census shows David having joined the Bedfordshire Regiment living at the Maida Barracks, Aldershot.
He was the husband of Linda Rose Oakley, of 17 Farquhar Street, Bengeo, Hertford.
Wartime Service
Enlisted at Hertford in 1st Battalion Bedfordshire regt.
They were stationed at Mullingar, Ireland, on the outbreak of war they were transferred to England and mobilised for war. They left for France on 16th August 1914, becoming one of the units forming the ‘Old Contemptibles’. On their arrival they were stationed near Mons and took part in the first battles there and at Le Cateau.
After service at the Marne and the Aisne they were rushed back to Flanders where they fought in the 1st Battle for Ypres where they stayed all winter. In May 1915 at Hill 60 south east of Ypres the 1st Beds. became one of the first British units to be attacked by poison gas, at 0830am on the 5th the enemy attacked with a heavy artillery barrage and gas shells. The wind blew the gas along the British trenches and those affected were unable to put on their gas respirators, David Oakley was one of those killed that day and his body was not recovered.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Terry & Glenis Collins
