Name
Bernard George Catley
14 December 1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/09/1916
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
13316
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
65th Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DOIRAN MEMORIAL
Greece
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Anstey Village Memorial, St George's Church Memorial, Anstey, Individual Plaque, St George's Church, Anstey
Pre War
Bernard George Catley was born on 14 December 1893, the son of Walter and Lucretia Catley (nee Wheeler), and one of six children, three of whom had died by 1911. He was baptised in Anstey Church
On the 1901 Census the family were living near Anstey Hall where his father was working as a horsekeeper on a farm. They had moved to Dawes End, Anstey in 1911 at which time his mother was listed as the head of the household and Bernard was working as a farm labourer. (N.B. Unable to find his father on 1911 Census but on 1921 Census he was an inmate in the Hertfordshire County Asylum, Hill End, St Albans.)
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford and initially joined the Bedfordshire Regiment under reg. no. 23570, later transferring to the Machine Gun Corps.
The 65th Company of the Machine Gun Corps embarked at Devonport on 5 July 1916 for Salonika where they joined the 22nd Division on 16 July 1916. There they had to cope with malaria and each soldier was issued with quinine on a daily basis. They were involved in the Battle of Horseshoe Hill from 10 to 18 August and the Battle of Machukova from 13 to 14 September 1916. It is likely that this was the battle in which Bernard Catley was killed in action on 14 September, aged 22.
Bernard has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Doiran Memorial, Greece.
Additional Information
A war gratuity of £3 was granted along with pay owing of £2 10s 3d. but it is not recorded who received this money. His mother received a pension of six shillings a week.
According to the Royston Crow newspaper, a memorial service was held for him in Anstey Chapel. Reverend Wilson who conducted the service spoke of his Christian character and devotion to duty, saying he was the first from the village to lay down his life for his country His favourite hymns were sung and prayers said. The newspaper reported that "much sympathy is felt for the family of the deceased, he being the mainstay of the home for his mother and two sisters, his father, formerly an earnest worker for the chapel, being away owing to a mental affliction."
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Malcolm Lennox, www.ansteyvillage.co.uk/history
