Welch, H R
HORACE RALPH WELCH
Remembered with honour Mere Cemetery.
He enlisted 12 December 1916 in Watford in H.M. Regular Forces for General Service with the Colours or in the Reserve for the Duration of the War: a butler aged 31 of Watford; Private TF/266824 2nd/1st Kent Cyclist Battalion. He embarked with the 8th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment from Folkestone 13 April 1918 and proceeded to the 7th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment 14 April 1918. He was wounded in action 24 April 1918, and sent to No. 5 Casualty Clearing Station 25 April 1918, transferred to the U.K. 28 April 1918. He was entitled to the Victory and British War medals, and died 9am at the V.A.D. Hospital, Mere, Wilts, of appendicitis
There is an In Memoriam for Horace in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 5 July 1919.
Son of John and Ellen (nee GRAY) WELCH of Mere; husband of Beatrice (nee BATCHELOR) WELCH of Watford.
His parents married 1876 at Mere Register Office. Ellen died 1931 in the Mere district aged 75.
Horace was born 2 August 1884 in Mere, and attended Mere County Junior School from 1 June 1891. He married 11 November 1916 at Watford Congregational Church; they had one child. He resided in Watford; and was buried 6 July.
On the 1891 Census, a scholar aged 6 he lived in Mere, with his parents and five siblings. On the 1901 Census, a page aged 16, he lived in Stoke Newington, London. On the 1911 Census, a general servant aged 26, he lived in Watford.
Service number
266824Rank
PrivateUnit
7th BattalionRegiment
Place buried
Date of death
02/07/1918Age at death
33Place of death
Memorial(s)
- 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)