Name
Herbert Hutchins
26 June 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
33274
Bedfordshire Regiment
3rd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Pre War
Wartime Service
Biography
Herbert Hutchins was born on 26 June 1891 in Hertfordshire, the son of John and Sarah Hutchins. It is possible that Herbert Hutchings was born at Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 25/26 Green End, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, where his father was a Greengrocer Dealer. His father died in 1906, aged 48 and on the 1911 Census Herbert was living at the same address with his widowed mother and siblings Arthur and Gertie. Herbert was then working as a Farm Labourer.
On 1st August 1915 he married Florence Emma Botwright, from Bedmond, and in November of the same year the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine recorded that a son had been born to the couple. They had two sons, John Percy, born 3 October 1915 and Herbert Arthur who was born on 1 June 1917. (His wife also had a son born in 1911 Harry Botwright)
Herbert enlisted on 2 January 1917 in Watford and initially joined the 19th London Regiment (reg. no. 617652), later being posted on 27 April 1917 to the Bedfordshire Regiment (reg. no. 33274).
The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour recorded Herbert for the first time in December 1915, serving with the Army Service Corps (ASC), and he was recorded with that unit until March 1917 – this is at odds with the above information. After he was transferred to the 1/5th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, he served with that unit until the end of the War, and beyond.
He was initially sent to Egypt and arrived in Alexandria on 23 May 1917 with the 1/5th Suffolk Regiment. (reg. no. 67716) and then later returned to the 2/19th London Regiment, (reg. no. 617652) before being demobilised in 1920.
Herbert was listed in the Absent Voter Records for Autumn 1918, Spring 1919 and Autumn 1919, still serving with the 1/5th Bedfordshire’s, and his home address was given at Bedmond.
Hebert survived the War, as did his brothers in law Edward, Percy and Benjamin Botwright. Benjamin Botwright was discharged in March 1918 after being wounded in November 1917. His fourth brother in law, Arthur Botwright was killed in action on 16th August 1917.
On the 1939 Register Herbert and his wife Florence were living at 6 High Street, Bedmond, Watford and working as a Tree Feller and General Labourer. He was also a part time ARP Warden.
Additional Information
Formerly Army Service Corps; 1/5th Bedfordshire Regiment. N.B. his service record exists but is barely readable.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
