Name
Sidney George Madgin
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/05/1915
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Trooper
L/2214
9th (Queen's Royal) Lancers
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HAZEBROUCK COMMUNAL CEMETERY
II.B.12
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Stevenage Old Town Memorial, St Nicholas' Church Memorial, Stevenage Old Town, Holy Trinity Church Memorial Roll of Honour, Stevenage Old Town
Pre War
Sidney was born on the 8th June 1890 the son of Charles Henry and Elizabeth Ann Madgin (nee Tingey). His father was the keeper of the White Lion Hotel in the High Street, Stevenage.
Wartime Service
Sidney was posted to France on the 3rd May 1915 and arrived at Wallon Capel, deep in the heart of the Ypres Salient, two days later.
On the 24th May the Battalion were holding trenches in the area of Hooge. At 3am the Germans unleashed a Poison Gas attack on the British positions along the Menin Road, which lasted for about an hour. German infantry then attacked the positions but, with the aid of reinforcements, this assault was eventually driven off. However, the Battalion had lost 1 Officer and 16 Other Ranks to the dreadful effects of gas poisoning, amongst these was Sidney Madgin, who held on to life for several hours before succumbing to one of the worst horrors of warfare on the Western Front. He is buried at Hazebrouck Military Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
Sidney is also commemorated on the family headstone in Stevenage (St. Nicholas) Churchyard. His part of the inscription reads:
ALSO OF TROOPER SIDNEY GEORGE MADGIN 9TH LANCERS,
FATALLY GASSED AT YPRES MAY 24TH 1915 INTERRED AT HAZEBROUCK MILITARY CEMETERY FRANCE. AGED 25.
Acknowledgments
Paul Johnson
