Name
Sydney Richard Snow
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/07/1916
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Wheeler
82954
Royal Field Artillery
"C" Battery, 96th Brigade
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
FLATIRON COPSE CEMETERY, MAMETZ
Panel 10 and 11
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Albury,
St Mary the Virgin, Stocking Pelham,
Not on the Ware memorials
Pre War
Sydney Richard Snow was born in Braintree, Essex in 1883, son of Thomas Henry Snow and Annie (nee Rogers).
At some point between 1886 and 1888, the family moved from Braintree to Barleycroft End, Furneux Pelham, where Thomas Henry was employed as the Rayments Brewery engineer. In the 1901 census, the family had moved to Willow farm, just across the Furneux Pelham parish boundary, and in Stocking Pelham, where Sydney, now 18, was working as a stockman on a farm.
In Q4 1906 Sydney married Ada Metson, and by the 1911 census they had three children. The family was now living in Clapgate, Albury, about two miles south of Willow Farm, and Sydney now earned his living as a house painter.
Wartime Service
Sydney enlisted at Hertford. He served with the 96th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery, as part of the 21st Division. They trained around Tring, High Wycombe and Berkhamsted in late 1914 and 1915, and left Southampton for Le Havre on 10th September 1915.
They were initially held in reserve, having little or no battle experience, but on 26th September were drawn, unprepared, into the Battle of Loos.
The General in command of 21st Division, having identified seven reasons for their failure to win the battle, tendered his resignation on the morning of the following day. Sydney had another ten months in service.
Additional Information
The Medal Rolls Index records the award of the British medal, Victory Medal, and the 1915 Star, for which his qualifying date was 11th September 1915. To his rank as a wheeler is added “+DVR”, presumably “Driver”. MRI gives his service as Royal Field Arti
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild
Dr Stephen Bratt
