(Reginald) John Rodney

Name

(Reginald) John Rodney

Conflict

First World War

Date of Death / Age

06/11/1915
19

Rank, Service Number & Service Details

Private
4/6905
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.

Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards

1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals

Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country

GUARDS CEMETERY, WINDY CORNER, CUINCHY
III. C. 3.
France

Headstone Inscription

Not Researched

UK & Other Memorials

Not on the Watford memorials

Pre War

Son of Henry Lewis and the late Mary E (nee DANIELS) RODNEY of Watford.


His parents married 22 August 1896 at St Matthew’s, Oxhey, Herts.  Mary died 1906 in the Watford district aged 37.  Henry remarried 1910 in the Watford district to Mary CURD; he died 1935 in Watford aged 71, and was buried 23 December in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Mary died 1948 in Watford aged 80, and was buried 6 February at St Paul’s, Langleybury, Herts.


Reginald [Henry] was born 3 September 1897 in Watford, and baptised 17 September 1897 at St Mary’s, Watford.  He resided in Watford.


On the 1901 Census, aged 3 he lived in Watford, with his parents and three siblings.  On the 1911 Census, he is proving elusive.


Officially recorded as born in Watford and was living there when he enlisted in Hertford.

Wartime Service

He enlisted in Hertford; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 30 September 1915, and was killed in action.  On 6 November 1915, the Battalion was at La Basse Canal, near Duck’s Bill billets, Bethune, a sub-section of the Givenchy trenches, in front of which was a system of craters. 


It was proposed to explode a mine and the Battalion was to occupy the lip and edges of the resulting crater, as well as the existing craters.  By 7 November, the position was secure and the casualties during this 48 hour tour of duty included one Other Rank killed – presumably this was Reginald.  

Additional Information

Unfortunately, Reginald’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.

Acknowledgments

Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH online via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)