Coxhill, R W
ROBERT WILLIAM COXHILL
Remembered with honour Hemel Hempstead (Heath Lane) Cemetery: Row AC, Grave 54.
He originally enlisted at Harlesden, London, 2 March 1898, Private 5906 Royal Fusiliers, for Short Service (7 years with the Colours, 5 years with the Reserves: a labourer aged 18, 5’6″ tall, C of E. He served at Home 2 March 1898 to 6 January 1899; in Malta 7 January to 26 August 1899; in Gibraltar 27 August 1899 to 19 May 1901; in Egypt 20 May 1901 to 25 February 1902; Home again 26 February 1902 to 1 March 1910, when he was discharged on the termination of his first period of engagement.
He re-enlisted in Watford 28 September 1914 Private 39986 Royal Army Medical Corps, for one year’s service: a male nurse aged 34, 5’8½” tall, C of E, married, his next-of-kin his wife of Abbot’s Langley, Herts. He served at Home 23 September 1914 to 17 September 1915, during which time he was appointed Lance-Corporal 28 November 1914, reverted to Private 28 April 1915, and transferred to the 80th Field Ambulance. He embarked with the B.E.F. 18 September 1915, was transferred to the 4th Casualty Clearing Station 4 November 1915, and was admitted there 29 March 1916 – T.B. lungs a result of active service, exposure and hardship. Transferred to Ambulance Train 1 April 1916, transferred to 12 General Hospital 2 April 1916, and transferred to England per H.S. St David 8 April 1916. He was admitted to the Military Hospital, Hampstead, London, suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis until 26 April 1916, and was discharged 10 May 1916 no longer physically fit for war service. He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 21 September 1915, and was either killed in action, died of wounds received in action, or died at home of gas poisoning (depending which source you use, tho’ the last is the most likely given where he was buried); his Silver War Badge was issued 15 November 1916.
Son of Charles and Ruth (nee IMPEY) COXHILL of Boxmoor, Herts; husband of Elizabeth (nee BARFORD or BURFORD) COXHILL of Boxmoor.
His parents married 25 May 1874 at St Mary’s, Northchurch, Herts. Charles died 1927 in the Hemel Hempstead, district aged 74, and was buried 26 January in Heath Lane Cemetery; Ruth died 1942 in the Hemel Hempstead district aged 85, and was buried 2 May, also in Heath Lane Cemetery.
Robert was born 4 March 1881 in Northchurch, and attended Boxmoor J.M.I. School from 25 May to 7 December 1891. He married 7 October 1905 at St John the Evangelist, Boxmoor; they had five children. He was employed at Leavesden Asylum, Herts, and his death was registered in the Hemel Hempstead district. Elizabeth never remarried, she died 1942 in the Hemel Hempstead district aged 59, and was buried 3 January in Heath Lane Cemetery.
On the 1881 Census, aged 1 month he lived in Northchurch, with his parents and three siblings. On the 1891 Census, a scholar aged 11 he lived in Berkhamsted, Herts, with his parents and six siblings. On the 1901 Census, he was with the Army in Gibraltar. On the 1911 Census, an attendant on the insane aged 30, he lived in Abbot’s Langley, with his wife and three children.
Service number
39986Rank
PrivateRegiment
Place buried
Date of death
24/09/1917Age at death
36Place of death
- 1st S.W. Herts Scout Troop [in St Mary's Parish Church Watford] (4)
- Abbot's Langley Herts War Memorial (17)
- Aldbury Herts War Memorial (1)
- Aldenham Herts War Memorial (located in Letchmore Heath Herts) (8)
- All Saints Church Croxley Green Herts (12)
- All Saints Church Harrow Weald Middx (2)
- All Saints Church Hertford (1)
- All Saints Church King's Langley Herts (1)
- All Saints Church Leavesden Herts (31)
- All Saints Church Witham Essex (3)