Name
Joseph George Downes
1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/05/1917
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
14921
Worcestershire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial
Pre War
Joseph George Downes was born in 1890 in Bethnal Green, Hackney, London, the son of Thomas and Susan Downes, and baptised at St John, Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets, on 10 August 1890.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 32 Gibraltar Walk, Bethnal Green, where his father was working as a tobacco stripper.
He attended Pritchards Road School, from 6 November 1893, at which time the family were living at 30 Emma Street, Bethnal Green.
On the 1911 Census, Joseph was a French Polisher living as a boarder at the home of Bernard and Elizabeth Garaty at 25 Holmes Street, York Street, Hackney Road, Haggerston, NE, London. He married Elizabeth Mary Ann Garaty on 25 December 1911 at St Andrew, Hoxton, Hackney. It is believed they had three children, Joseph, William and Doris.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Shoreditch, London and served with the 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment, initially in the Balkans (Gallipoli), from 4 July 1915 as a Private, then rising to Lance Corporal.
He was killed in action on 21 May 1917 when the 2nd Battalion were situated near Croisilles, south of Arras, France. C Company had been forced to retire as they were almost surrounded by the Germans. They consolidated their line, but bombing went on throughout the day.
He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. He is among 75 soldiers from the 2nd Bn , Worcestershire Regiment who died on that day and who are named on the Arras Memorial.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £13 and pay owing of £8 1s 10d. Pension records exist but give no indication of pension received or number of children.
His widow gave her address on pension records as 38 Burmack Rown, Apsley End, Hemel Hempstead. She later lived at 70 Overbury Street, Clapton Park, London.
The initials are given as T G, rather than J G on the Hemel Hempstead Memorial and the surname in sometimes spelt without an 'e'.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
dacorumheritage.org.uk, hemelatwar.org.
