Name
John Josiah Revell
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/06/1918
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
19672
Dorsetshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BERLES NEW MILITARY CEMETERY
II. C. 4.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Croxley Green Village Memorial, Croxley Green,
All Saints' Church Shrine, Croxley Green,
John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Croxley Mills, Croxley Green,
Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial
Pre War
John Josiah was born in Croxley Green to Henry and Maria Revell and his birth was registered in Watford district in the first quarter of 1887. John was the younger brother of James who was killed the following month. He was 31 when he died.
The family lived in Copthorne Cottages on the Green and they had strong associations with Croxley. John’s grandfather, also Henry Revell (1824-1901), laid one of the foundation stones of New Road Methodist Church in 1892. John’s father, Henry, had four children by his first wife Emma of whom three died young. Henry and Maria had eight children.
In 1911 Henry was a widower and gave his occupation as a bricklayer. John was a garden labourer. John married Mary Allen in 1912 and they had two children, Margery born 1913 and John born 1916 when they lived at Scots Hill. John Josiah is listed on the Dickinson memorial as an employee of Croxley Mills.
He is recorded as enlisting in Bedford.
Wartime Service
Lance Corporal 19672, 1st Dorsetshire Regiment, formerly 31725, Bedfordshire Regiment.
Killed in action on 19th June 1918. He was buried at Berles new military cemetery, south west of Arras.
In the weeks before his death the Battalion was in the line or in reserve between Bapaume and Arras. On 21st May they executed a raid at Hamlincourt. It was successful but there were heavy casualties, many caused by British artillery shells falling short. From then until 19th June the Battalion was not involved in any major attacks, but their trenches were frequently shelled. On 19th June John Josiah was killed when the support lines were subject to continual bombardment from 8 until 11pm.
After his death the Army paid his widow Mary £15 12s 10d including a war gratuity of £7.
Additional Information
Brother of Private James Revell who died in action on 23 Jul 1918 and is also commemorated on this memorial.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Tanya Britton, Brian Thomson, Croxley Green in the First World War Rickmansworth Historical Society 2014
