Name
David Frederick Barclay
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/04/1918
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays)
“A” Squadron
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
FOUILLOY COMMUNAL CEMETERY, SOMME
A.5.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Essendon War Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Essendon, Not on the Hatfield memorials, We are not aware of any memorial in Letty Green, Not on the Hertingfordbury memorial
Pre War
David was born on the 11th September 1894, in Bletchingley, Surrey. Second son of Lieut.-Colonel Hubert Frederick and Edith Noel Barclay, grandson of Lieut.-Colonel Henry Daniel.
The 1901 Census shows David aged 6, living with his Parents, Brother and Sister at Epping House, Epping Green, Little Berkhampsted, Hertford, Herts.
He was educated at St. David's, Reigate, and Harrow (Mr. Moss's). In February 1911 aged 17, David sailed to Ashcroft in British Columbia, to live with his uncle on a cattle ranch, with the aim of become a farmer.
His Attestation paper describe him as 5' 11" with a 40: chest (expanded), fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.
Wartime Service
On the outbreak of war David was in British Columbia, Canada working on his uncle’s ranch, and a member of the 31st British Columbia Horse. He enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force (COEF), signing his Attestation Papers on the 22nd September 1914 as Private 2462 David Frederick Barclay, in Lord Strathcona’s Horse.
They embarked for England on the 3rd October 1914. In January 1915 he was commissioned in a battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, joined the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queens Bays) and was seconded for service in West Africa. He served in the Cameroon expedition. David was killed in Action on the 2nd April 1918.
Additional Information
His personal inscription on the headstone reads: “Son of Lt Col Hubert Frederick Barclay and Edith Noel Barclay of Orchards, Letty Green, Hertford. The address given above and in relation to his parents was given after his death, so at present is is not clear if David had a direction connection to Letty Green or whether is was just that his parents' lived there. Returned from Canada, 1914 with Lord Strathcona’s Horse, Native of Hatfield.” David’s father, LT Col Hubert Frederick Barclay was the CO of the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, from 13th November 1914 to 22nd August 1915. He went on to Command, 23rd Army Corps.
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners
Sue and Colin Rees, Stuart Osborne
