Name
James Dealey
1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/04/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/17847
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
13th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HAZEBROUCK COMMUNAL CEMETERY
I.E.15
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Francis of Assisi Memorial, Hammerfield, St John the Evangelist Church Memorial, Boxmoor, Not on the Berkhamsted Town memorial
Pre War
James Dealey was born on 21 December 1882 in Great Berkhamstead, Herts, the son of Joseph Dealey and Martha (nee Beddall), and baptised there on 21 December 1882 (together with his elder brother Jesse). He was one of seven children. On the 1891 Census, the family were living at Red Lion Yard, Berkhamstead, where his father was working as a Labourer.
By 1901 He had moved out of the family home and was a boarder with Robert and Sarah Fletcher at Northchurch, Herts, working as a coal carter. However, on the 1911 Census, he was back with his parents at 10 Red Lion Yard, Berkhamstead and working as a builder's labourer.
He married widow Annie Ambrose (nee Ringshall) a few months later in 1911 at Hemel Hempstead and took on responsibility for stepchildren Ethel (7) and Leonard Ambrose (4) who were the two youngest of her 8 children. They lived at 22 Sunnyhill Road, Hammerfield, Hemel Hempstead and had a further two children, Elsie in 1912 and Ivy in 1914.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Watford in late 1915 under the Derby Scheme, which allowed him to defer his call up, and as a married man and due to his age, he was not mobilised for service until May 1916. when he joined the Queens (Royal West Surrey) Regiment. He was then posted to the 13th (Labour) Battalion, which was formed in July 1916, and, on completion of basic training, he was sent to France in September.
It is not known where he was sent in France but in April 1917 he contracted meningitis, not an uncommon illness in the trenches. He would have been sent to a casualty clearing station for treatment but he did not recover, and died from septic meningitis, aged 29, whilst on active service in France.
He is buried in Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery in France, where casualty clearing stations were posted between October 1914 and September 1917.
Additional Information
His widow Annie received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £3. She also received a pension of £1 10s a week from 29 October 1917. Brother Jesse enlisted in Bedfordshire Regiment as Private G/2976 and served from 14 Jun 1916 to 26 Jul 1917 when he was discharged suffering from Emphysema and awarded Silver War Badge 124792 and a pension of 13s 9d/week. N.B. The spelling of the surname on the Hammerfield Memorial appears incorrect without the 'e' between the l and y. All other records use the 'Dealey' spelling.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org, www,hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com.
