Name
Bertie/Bert Thomas Sharpe
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/10/1918
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
66345
London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
1st (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DELSAUX FARM CEMETERY, BEUGNY
Plot I, Row E, Grave 9.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour,
Not on the Rickmansworth memorials
Pre War
Son of Alice (nee EAST) and the late Thomas SHARPE; husband of Rosa Charlotte (formerly SHARPE, nee SHORT) MILES of Watford.
His parents married 9 November 1873 at St Mary’s, Rickmansworth, Herts. Thomas died 1899 in Rickmansworth aged 50, and was buried 10 May at St Mary’s, Rickmansworth.
Bertie was born 1885 in Rickmansworth, and baptised 22 November 1885 at St Mary’s, Rickmansworth. He married 1911 in the Watford district; they had three children. He resided in Watford, and worked for John Dickinson & Co. at Croxley Mills, Herts. Rosa remarried 1919 in the Watford district to James H MILES, and died 1974 in the Colchester, Essex, district aged 84.
On the 1891 Census, aged 5 he lived in Rickmansworth, with his parents and three siblings.
On the 1901 Census the family lived in Norfolk Rd, a carrier’s labourer aged 15, he still lived in Rickmansworth, with his widowed mother and four siblings. On the 1911 Census, a paper-making factory hand aged 25, he still lived in Rickmansworth, with his widowed mother and two siblings.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Watford, and was formerly Private 46078 Northamptonshire Regiment.
Private Bertie Sharpe, 1st/1st Battalion Royal Fusiliers. Formerly 46078, Northants. Regt.
Died of wounds. He is buried at Delsaux Farm Cemetery, Beugny. In October-November 1918 the cemetery was extended to take those who died at the 29th and 46th Casualty Clearing Stations nearby. Bertie’s unit was part of the 167th Brigade and the 56th (1st London) Division. In late September and early October the division was involved in the battles of the Hindenburg line in the area between Arras and Bapaume. From 1 October Bertie’s Battalion was in the line near Vis-en-Artois. The war diary does not mention casualties.
He was entitled to the Victory and British War medals, and died of wounds received in action.
Additional Information
Unfortunately, Bertie’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
There is a brief article about and a Death announcement for Bertie in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 26 October 1918.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Malcolm Lennox, Brian Thomson
