No.81672, Private, Reginald SARGEANT
Aged 18
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Reginald Horace Sargeant was born in Kedington, Suffolk (Risbridge Q2-1899 4A:814), baptised in Kedington on 13th June 1899, son of Harry Price and Susan Maria SARGENT (née CORNWELL).
This family name is spelled in many ways. 1901 census...Aged 4, he was at Mill House, Kedington with his father Harry P SARGEANT [42] corn miller born Finchingfield, Essex; his mother Susan M [39] born Kedington; brothers Victor P [14] born Kedington, Cecil H [12] born Hundon and twin Wilfred S [4] born Kedington; sisters Winifred M [13] born Hundon, Dorothy S [9] and Cassandra R [7] both born in Kedington. His father died in 1908 in Kedington. His mother married Albert E DAY in 1911 (Ely Q2-1911 3B:1206) 1911 census...Aged 12, a scholar, he was at The Mill, Kedington boarding with Ernest and Susannah SKILTON, their son Sydney and Bessie LYNN [19] an elementary school teacher. His widowed mother was at Hasse Road, Soham, housekeeper for Albert Edward DAY [34] farmer born Coveney. It is not known when they moved to Soham. The Army family form in November 1919 had father dead, mother Susan Maria DAY at "Pines" Paddock Street, Soham, brother Sidney Skilton SARGEANT [34] in Dartford, Kent, Victor [32] with his mother, Cecil Harry [30] (unreadable) and Stanley [22]at Forest ? London. sisters were seemingly all still single, none of the addresses are legible, Evelyn Maude [35], Winifred Mabel [31] Dorothy Lilian [28] and Cassandra Rebecca [26]. |
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He enlisted in Newmarket.He was 18 years 2 months old a farm labourer, weighing 115 lbs (52.2 kg), 5 feet 6 inches (167.6 cm) tall, chest 33" to 35" (83.8 to 88.9 cm).
Deemed to have enlisted on 2nd March 1916, he was mobilised on 16th June 1917 and posted to the 9th Training Reserve Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. He then
proceeded to 277 Infantry Battalion at Gore St Camp and on 1st November 1917 was No. 35106 with 52nd(Grad) Btn, West Yorks Regt at Ashford on 21st September.
A detail against 31st March 1918 is unreadable, certainly he arrived with the BEF on 31st March 1918. The entries on some pages are washed out but he
appears to have been transferred and joined his unit in the field, 1/5th DLLI on 3rd April. He signed his soldiers will on 29th March 1918 making his mother
the sole beneficiary.
One entry has him killed in action in France. Unfortunately his record has more damaged pages than legible ones. The 1st/5th Durham Light infantry were in the line as ESTAIRES then withdrew to NEUF BECQUIN, digging in and taking over from 2nd Bn R.F. At 10 am on 11th the enemy attacked and the line was pushed back onto the NEUF BECQUIN -MERVILLE ROAD. At 8 pm the Btn was withdrawn to a position S.E. of VIERHOEK and dug in. Nothing is mentioned of the 21 men killed on the 11th
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details
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