Name
Stephen Simmons
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/07/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
266680
Hertfordshire Regiment
Att to 8 Gloucestershire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 135.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
No 4 Coy. Memorial, Hitchin, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Stephen was born in 1897 in Hitchin and christened on 7 Aug 1897 in Holy Savior Church, Hitchin. His parents were Alfred and Laura Simmons (née Wesley). They were married in 1878 in St. Mary’s Church, Hitchin.
In 1891, before Stephen’s birth, the family were living in Barnards Yard, Queen Street, Hitchin. Present were both parents: Alfred (34) and Laura (33), with Alfred working as an agricultural labourer. Their children were: Sarah (4) and Louisa (2).
We believe that Laura died and certainly Alfred married Annie Gray in 1900. The 1901 census records the family were living at 23 Portmill Lane, Hitchin. Present were Alfred (44), working as a bricklayer, and new wife Annie (39) together with their combined families (relations are to Alfred) stepsons: William Gray (21) and Arthur Gray (19), stepdaughters: Lizzie Gray (11) and Nellie Gray (7), daughters: Sarah (14)and Louisa (12), sons: Alfred (6) and Stephen (4).
By 1911 Alfred and Annie’s address was 9 Barnards Yard, Queen Street, Hitchin. All the children previous listed, included Stephen, were absent but a new child, Percival Simmons (8) was present as was Annie’ granddaughter Monica Rose Gray at 10 months. Brothers Alfred and Stephen were boarding at 4 St Michaels Mount, Walsworth, Hitchin, in the home of the Monsell family; Alfred was 17 and working as a van boy for a grocer and Stephen at 14 a paper boy for a stationer.
Stephen enlisted into the Hertfordshire Regiment on 1 June 1915, giving his home address as 1 Nightingale Road, Hitchin and at that time he was described as 19 years and 3 months old, 5’ 4” tall with a chest measurement of 34” when fully expanded. He became Private 5107 in the Hertfordshire Regiment.
Officially he was living in Hitchin when he enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
Stephen was embodied immediately on 1 June 1915 and began his training. During that period, on 7 September 1915, while in ‘A’ Company, 3/1st Herts Regiment, he received 3 days confirmed to barracks for disobeying Battalion orders.
He embarked for France on 6 May 1916, disembarking in Rouen the following day and went straight to the T B (Training Battalion) Depot, then posted to No. 6 Entrenching Battalion on May 19th. He was attached to the 8th Gloucestershire Regiment ‘in the field’ on 11 July 1916 and was with them when he was posted as missing on 23 July 1916.
Stephen was allocated Regimental number 266680, almost certainly in early 1917, as part of the Territorials re-numbering. The fact that he was renumbered is interesting because he had previously been posted missing and suggest that he had still not been presumed dead. Inevitably at some point he was and with no known grave and is remembered on Panel 135 of the Loos Memorial to the Missing in France.
When he was killed he was attached to the 8th Gloucestershires and so was not with the Hertfordshire Regiment. Their war diary for July 22nd reads “Relieved WORC. R [10th] (Worcestershire Regiment) in frontline and prepared to attack the German switch line cutting through the north of HIGHWOOD and running S of Martin Puich with 10th R. War. (Royal Warwickshires) and 7th S. Lancs (South Lancashires). (1am) Attack failed our casualties being 1 officer killed. 5 wounded, 8 missing including the C.O.. Lt col de WIART gunshot wound to the neck. 186 casualties among the other ranks."
The 23rd just reads “Taken back to support line and remained there all day relieved at 7:30pm”. It is possible that Stephen became missing while during the relief on the 23rd or ion the support line or even after they were relieved but seems more likely that he was one 186 OR casualties on the 22nd.
Additional Information
After his death £4 2s 6d pay owing was authorised to go to his father on 30 August 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £4 was authorised to be paid to him on 13 October 1919. This show that Alfred was living in Barnards Yard, Queen Street, Hitchin in August 1917 and 1 Garden Row, 1 Nightingale Road, Hitchin by August 1919.
No pension details have yet been found.
Stephen’s personal possessions were sent to his father before 11 August 1917, then his memorial plaque and scroll in 1919 and his medals were received by his father on September 1st, 1921.
His sister Sarah Mansell completed a statement of living relatives form on 16 August 1919 and that named Alfred Simons of 1 Garden Row, Hitchin as his father, Alfred (26) as his brother living with their father, and sister Louisa Albone (29) living in Arlesey, Beds and Sarah Mansell (33), also living with their father. It is interesting that Percival, Stephen’s half-brother is not listed.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild
