Name
Henry Joseph Batchelor
1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/10/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
31828
York and Lancaster Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL
Panel 9.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Bushey Town Memorial
Pre War
Henry (also known as Harry) Joseph Batchelor was born in Watford in about 1883 the son of Thomas and Jane Batchelor and one of four children.
On the 1891 Census he was with his aunt and uncle, James and Emma Willmore, and living at Chipperdown Cottage, Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire where his uncle was a gamekeeper. By the 1901 Census he was back living with his parents at 23 Sotheron Road, Watford, where his father was working as a carpenter. They had moved to 158 Cecil Street, Callowland, Watford in 1911 at which time Harry was working as a kitchen gardener.
He gave his occupation as gardener and handyman when he married Martha Gibson on 29 March 1913. They lived at White House, Cassiobury Park, Watford.
Wartime Service
Henry enlisted as Private 25569 with the 3rd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment in 1915 at the age of 32 and later transferred as Private 31828 to the 6th Battalion of the York and Lancashire Regiment.
Henry served in France and Flanders from 29 September 1916 and was killed in action on 1 October 1918. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial in France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £13 and pay owing of £12 12s 2d. She also received a pension of 13s 9d per week. In his will he left all his property and effects to his wife, who had moved to 22 Rosebery Road, Bushey. They had no children.
There is an article about Henry in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 2 November 1918; plus an In Memoriam in the issue dated 4 October 1919. His brother George served with the Bedfordshire Regiment, died on 13 March 1917 and is also named on the Watford Borough Roll of Honour.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer, Brenda Palmer
Andrew Palmer
