Reeves, Herbert Lewis (aka Reeves, Lewis Herbert)

Summary

Father: William REEVES
Mother: Frances Catherine Bailey CLARK

Birth: 1893 at Lyneham, Wiltshire
Birth Source: FreeBMD and Census

Death: 1916 in France
Death Source: CWGC and GRO Index

Spouse1:

Narrative

The birth of Herbert Lewis REEVES was recorded during the second quarter of 1893, in the Cricklade Registration District, which includes the parish and village of Lyneham, Wiltshire. Subsequent references to this individual seem to use Louis/Lewis/Lewes as his first given name. He is the seventh of eight known children of William Reeves and his wife Frances Catherine Bailey nee CLARK

On the 1901 census, he appears as Louis with his parents and seven siblings at Westcott, Wantage, Berkshire. He is seven years old and his place of birth is noted as Lyneham, Wiltshire.

At the time of the 1911 census, he appears as a Private Lewes Herbert Reeves of the 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment. He is living in the South Front Barracks, Western Heights, Dover, Kent. He is recorded as being 19 years of age and born at Tockenham, Wootten Bassett, Wiltshire.

Based on his regimental number of 9369, it is likely that he enlisted in about August 1910. (See Research Note 1 below.)

It is believed that Herbert's death is that recorded on the Commonwelth War Graves Commission's website as Lewis Herbert Reeves.   He was serving as Lance Serjeant 9369 in the 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment in France and died on 27 July 1916. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France.

The death of Corporal (sic) 9369 of the Royal Berkshire Regiment in 1916 is included in the GRO "Index to War Deaths 1914-1921. Army (other Ranks)" page 3013 as Lewis H Reeves, year 1916, vol I.53, page 35.

The "UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929" entry for Lance Serjeant Lewis Herbert Reeves shows him serving with the 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment. It notes his place of death as Delville Wood, France in July 1916. It lists his beneficiaries as brother Ernest, sister Dora A ALDER, brother Walter Henry, sister Sarah A MANN, mother Frances C B (at brothers Isaac & Frank's request) and brother Maurice W.

Research Notes

(1) The likely date of Lewis's enlistment in the Royal Berkshire Regiment is based on information found at http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/royal-berkshire-regiment-1st-2nd.html. It shows that soldier 9279 joined on 23rd February 1910 and 9442 joined on 10th January 1911. Presuming a reasonably constant rate of enlistment over the period, regimental service number 9369 would have been allocated in about August 1910.

(2) At the time of the 1911 census, his mother and three children are living at The Mount, Grove Street, Wantage. His mother describes herself as Head of the Household and also as married. His father William is not present in that household and has yet to be identified on the 1911 census.

(3) Much information about the Royal Berkshire Regiment is available from The Wardrobe - Home of the Infantry Regiments of Berkshire and Wiltshire at http://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/home. The Regimental History page for the Royal Berkshire Regiment notes that on the day of Lewis' death " . . the Battle of the Somme with their major action taking place on the 27th July at Delville Wood. During this time they lost 8 officers and 256 other ranks."

Sources

Birth:       FreeBMD 1893, June quarter, Cricklade Registration District
Baptism:  
Marriage:
Death:     GRO Index to War Deaths 1914-1921. Army (other Ranks) page 3013
                 CWGC http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1550749/REEVES, LEWIS HERBERT

1901 Census: RG13, Piece 1136, Folio 38 face, Page 7
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 4617, Reg.Dist 65 (Dover), Sub Dist. 02 (Dover), Enum.Dist. 30, Page 3, Row 4