Name
Samuel Chalkley
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/03/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
20892
Bedfordshire Regiment
8nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ESSEX FARM CEMETERY
Sp. Mem. B. 8.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Their glory shall not be blotted out
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
He was born and was resident in Hitchin, his home was at 42, Hitchin Hill, Hitchin and he enlisted in Bedford.
Wartime Service
Samuel was allocated the Regimental Number 20892. He had volunteered in May 1915 and went to the Western Front in February 1916. He was in the 8th Battalion of the Bedfords when he was fatally shot in action at Ypres.
On the 15th April 1916 the Battalion moved up to the line in the Mortaldje Salient from Poperinghe. A heavy German attack on the evening of the 19th April took place at the ‘Duck's Bill’ on very boggy ground which resulted in numerous casualties. ‘B’ and ‘D’ Companies were especially involved with shellfire and later in hand to hand fighting. During the day the Germans were using flame-throwers. The Bedfords sustained about 200 casualties on that day.
He was buried in the Essex Farm Cemetery in Belgium and is remembered there on Special Memorial B8 with the inscription "Known to be buried in this cemetery". His gravestone also bears the private inscription "Their glory shall not be blotted out''.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
