Name
Conrad Joseph Austin
4th August 1878
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/07/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
26939
Northumberland Fusiliers
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BAGHDAD (NORTH GATE) WAR CEMETERY
XV. A. 12.
Iraq
Headstone Inscription
No Inscription on Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Hatfield War Memorial, Hatfield In Memorium Book, St Luke's Church Memorial, Bishops Hatfield, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Conrad Joseph Austin was born in Hatfield, Herts, on 4th August 1878, Son of Jesse Austin (a Bricklayer) (B 1851 in Hatfield) and Sarah Ann Austin (nee Payne). (B 1851 in Hatfield).
He was baptised with his sister Olive on the 25th May 1884, in the Parish of Bishops Hatfield. 1881 Census records him by his middle name Joseph aged 2, living with his parents, brother Thomas and 5 sisters in Roe Stock, St Peters, St Albans, Herts. His father, Jesse was working as a bricklayer.
1891 he was at school, living with his father, sisters Janet, Amy and Olive in Newtown Cottages, Newtown, Hatfield. 1900 and using his middle name Joseph. His mother is not listed.
Conrad enlisted on a short service at the Bedford Recruiting Office on 24th January 1900, to serve with the Bedfordshire Volunteer Company in South Africa for the duration of the Campaign. He served in South Africa from February 1900 to May 1901.
Conrad married Edith in Hatfield in the summer of 1908. By 1911 he and his wife were living in Newtown, Hatfield. He was working as a bricklayer (House builder).
Wartime Service
Formerly 23867 in the Hertfordshire Regiment and later the Rifle Brigade, Northumberland Fusiliers, Regt. Originally no 261 then 2nd Garrison Battalion, Number: 26839.
According to the National Roll Of The Great War, he volunteered in Oct. 1914 and in the following year was drafted to Mesopotamia; he did valuable work in the field of war and was engaged in many important battles that led to the capture of Bagdad. Whilst on active service there he contracted a fever and died on July 19th 1917. He lived at 2, Lea Mead Hatfield.
The Bishops Hatfield Parish Magazine of December 1914 recorded: “4th List of Men Mobilised from Hatfield: Austin, Conrad Joseph -Leamead Cottages – National Reserve”. Conrad must have been about 35 when he was mobilised.
The Herts. Advertiser of 18/8/1917 reported: Hatfield NCO’s Death in Mesopotamia. Mrs Austin, wife of Sergt. Conrad Joseph Austin of Hatfield has received the sad news of her husband’s death from the effects of heat stroke at the xxxx Hospital at xxxx, (Mesopotamia). Sergt. Austin, who was in his 38th Year was the youngest son of Mr James Austin of Newtown Hatfield and had been connected with the Herts. Regt. for a good many years, He, with his elder brother Tom, were among the Herts. Volunteers who went out to South Africa where the latter died from xxxx fever. Sergt. Austin was a member of the National Reserve and for a short time did guard duty at Welwyn Viaduct. He was then sent to India and after remaining there about twelve months was drafted to the Northumberland Fusiliers of which he was the youngest member and sent to Mesopotamia. In civil life Sergt. Austin was employed on the GNR. He leaves a widow and two young children to mourn their loss.
The Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine of September 1917: Roll of Honour – Conrad Austin, Northumberland Fusiliers.
Awarded the Victory Medal and British Medal.
Additional Information
Hatfield Parish Council Souvenir Committee Ledger: Mrs Austin (Widow) of 2 Lea cottages, Hatfield received an “In Memoriam and Roll of Honour Album”
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild, Christine & Derek Martindale, Hatfield Local History Society (www.hatfieldhistory.uk)
