Name
Sydney George Rand
26/04/1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
265292
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Mentioned in Despatches
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54 and 56.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial to the missing in Belgium.
UK & Other Memorials
St Laurence Church Memorial, Wormley, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Not on the Broxbourne memorials
Pre War
Sidney George Rand was born on 26th April 1895, in Roydon, Essex, son of George Rand, a Farm Horse Keeper, and Eliza Rand (nee Beckford). The eldest of five children.
1901 Census records Sidney aged 6, living with his parents, and sisters Elsie (4) and Aggie/Agnes (2) at Down Hall farm Cottage, Low Hill, Roydon, Essex. They have a Boarder William South a Gamekeeper.
1911 Census, Sidney (16) is working as a Nurseryman’s Labourer, living with his parents, sister Agnes, and brothers Frederick (11) and Alfred (8) at Galley Hill Green, Waltham Holy Cross, Essex.
Later living at 1 Lea Vale, Wormley, Broxbourne, Herts.
Sidney enlisted at Hoddesdon, Herts, in the Hertfordshire Regiment TF, on 11th March 1913, for four years and issued with the service number 2123.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war Sidney was still serving with the Territorial Force, volunteering for overseas Service he embarked at Southampton for France on 23rd January 1915, arriving the same day. He suffered a shell wound to the right eye on 22nd March 1915 and sent to 4th Field Hospital. Re-joined the Battalion on 1 April 1915. Promoted to Lance Corporal in May 1915 and Sergeant the following April 1916. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 9th April 1917.
Sidney was Killed in Action on the 31st July 1917 at the Battle of Pilkem part of the Battle of Ypres 1917. (Battle of Pilkem 31st July to 2nd August 1917) (Battle of Ypres 31sy July to 10th November 1917).
The 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment, suffered very heavy casualties in the region of 500 Officers and Men on the 31st July.
Sidney has no known grave he is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial to the missing in Belgium.
Additional Information
His mother Eliza received a Dependents Pension of 6/- a week from 2nd April 1918, and his effects of £4-05s-06d, pay owing and his war gratuity of £17.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Brenda Palmer, Jonty Wild
