Name
James Sharp
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
17661
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Battalion
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
James Sharp was pictured in a photograph in the Watford Illustrated newspaper on 4th September 1915. He was shown in a group of five men from Gallows Hill Cottages and was pictured alongside his brother Frederick. Whilst James was recorded in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour, for some reason Frederick was not.
James was born in the winter of 1885 at Leighton Buzzard. He was one of eight children born to Thomas and Eliza Sharp. His brother Frederick also served in the Great War. At the time of the 1891 Census the family lived at Plantation Road, Leighton Buzzard and Thomas worked as a Plate Layer on the railway. The 1901 Census recorded that the family lived at Breakspeare Terrace, Breakspeare Road, Abbots Langley. At that time Thomas continued to be working as a Plate Layer, and James was employed as a Labourer in a Paper Mill.
In 1910 James married and in the 1911 Census he and his wife Florence were recorded living at 77 Breakspeare Road, Abbots Langley. James was employed by the Metropolitan Asylum Board as a General Labourer at the Leavesden Asylum.
James was mentioned in the Langleybury Parish Magazine in June 1916, and was first recorded in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour in September 1917. On both occasions he was serving with the 6th Bedfordshire Regiment. This appears to be two years after his photograph appeared in the Watford Illustrated, where he was shown in uniform. By January 1918 he was confirmed with the 6th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, and by the final Roll of Honour listing in December 1918 he was recorded serving with the 1st Hertfordshire Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. This was an incorrect statement. After being badly depleted during the German Spring Offensive of March and April 1918 30 officers and 650 other ranks from the 6th Bedfordshire’s were absorbed into the 1st Hertfordshire’s to bring them up to fighting strength. So James served with the 1st Battalion of the Hertfordshire of the Hertfordshire Regiment.
James was listed in the Absent Voter Records of Autumn 1918 and Spring 1919 for Abbots Langley, serving with the 1st Hertford’s. His address was given at 7 Garden Road, Abbots Langley.
He was included in the Langleybury Roll of Honour which was compiled at the end of the War, where he was listed (incorrectly) still serving with the 6th Bedfordshire’s.
James survived the War, as did his brother Frederick.
Additional Information
Formerly 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
