Warneford, R A J
REGINALD ALEXANDER JOHN (REX) WARNEFORD
Remembered with honour Brompton Cemetery: Plot E, Row 6, Grave 173185.
He was entitled to the Victory, British War and Star medals, and received the Legion d’Honneur from the French Army C in C General JOFFRE. He died in the British Military Hospital, Versailles, France, from injuries received when his aircraft crashed at Buc Aerodrome. Daily Express readers contributed to the monument raised over his final resting place.
The London Gazette dated 11 June 1915, records his action meriting the Victoria Cross.
There are articles about Rex in the Watford Illustrated dated 26 June 1915, 3 July 1915 and 14 August 1915; in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 12 June 1915, 9 October 1915 and 19 May 1917, and in the Watford Review dated 13 February 1986! Plus articles in just about every newspaper in the country at that time (1915).
Son of Alexandra CORKERY (formerly WARNEFORD, nee CAMPBELL) of Taunton, Somerset, and the late Reginald William Henry WARNEFORD.
His parents married 3 September 1890 at St Andrew’s, Darjeeling, India. Reginald died 27 September 1904 aged 42, and was buried 28 September in Bengal. Alexandra remarried 1 October 1905 in Bakloh, Dalhousie, India, to Martin Percy CORKERY. Alexandra died 8 August 1958 in Taunton aged 85; Martin died 4 June 1961 in Exmouth, Devon, aged 88.
Rex was born 15 October 1891 in India, and baptised 23 November 1891 at St Peter’s Church, Fort William, Bengal. He was educated at King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon, from January 1903 to December 1905; and at the English College, Simla, India. Following an apprenticeship in the Merchant Marine, he joined the British-India Steam Navigation Company. At the outbreak of the war he was in Canada awaiting return to India. Instead he sailed to England, joined the Army, but straightaway transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service.
He has an entry in the National Probate Calendar.
It is assumed he was abroad at the time of the 1901 and 1911 Census.
Rank
Flight Sub-LieutenantUnit
1 (N) SquadronRegiment
Place buried
Date of death
17/06/1915Age at death
23Place of death
Awards
V.C.- 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)