40898, Private, Joseph William PURVEY
Aged 35
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Born in Newmarket in Q1-1882 [Newmarket 3b:529] to Joseph and Jane PURVEY (née BLAYDON) of Drapery Row, Newmarket.
1891 census...Joseph [9] was in Drapery Row, Newmarket with his father Joseph [40], a groom born in Berkshire; his mother Jane [36] born in Newmarket; brothers Arthur [3] and Henry [2] and sister Florence [6], all Newmarket born. 1901 census...Joseph [19] was a plumbers labourer (like his father) still living in Drapery Row with his parents, brothers Arthur and Harry, and sister Florrie, plus sister Minnie [7] and brother George [6], both born Newmarket. His father's year and place of birth has changed to 1854 and Newmarket. 1911 census...Joseph [29] now a painter, was living in Grafton Street, Newmarket with his parents, sister Florence and brothers Arthur, Henry and George. His father has changed his year and place of birth to 1851 and London. One child had died. His mother's name is Blagdon on the marriage register. SDGW has him as living in Old Chesterton when he enlisted. That being so, he may have married Alice Louisa CUTTING in Chesterton in Q4-1911. Even CWGC add to the confusions as they have him as 40898 Bedfordshire Regiment, contrary to his medal index card and "Soldiers Died". |
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The battalion spent the first half of 1917 holding the line near Ypres. In July it began rehearsals for its next major action, the Third Battle of Ypres
On the opening day, 31 July 1917, 39th Division mounted an advance towards Pilckem Ridge. The 1/1st Hertfordshires were employed in the third phase of the
attack. Advancing over the Steenbeek towards the Langemarck Line, it suffered increasing casualties from enemy machine-guns. On reaching the enemy wire it
was found to be undamaged by the artillery bombardment and the battalion was forced to fall back under heavy fire and strong German counterattacks. Every
officer was a casualty, eleven of whom including the commanding officer were killed, while the other ranks suffered 459 casualties. Subsequently, Lieutenant
Colonel Phillips took command and drafts of men were received to rebuild the battalion. This rebuilding would account for the few casualties the battalion
incurred in the days either side of Joseph's death when the 1st/1st Hertfordshire appear to have been in the Reserves and missed the horrific losses at
Passchendaele at that time, they had done their bit earlier.
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