Category Archives: Countries

Richard Penford

Arras, Canadian, Registered War Grave, Royal Berkshire Regiment

Richard Penford
Corporal 7495
1st Batt. Royal Berkshire Regt.

Division 34

RPenfold photo RPenfold grave

 

 Corporal Richard Penford was the son of George and Mary Penford. He had emigrated to Canada where he had a wife, Mary, and two children. They lived at 196A, Gowan Avenue, Todmorden, Toronto. He was in the “reserve” and at the onset of WW1 he returned to Britain when “called up”. His CWGC headstone states “Missed by wife and children”. The Standard 12June 1915 reports:

 Penford Military Funeral
Hero of 1st Berks. Charge at Festubert

“previously wounded in the head in March 1915, he had spent a month at the Base. Corporal Penfold on returning to the front fought at Festubert on May 16th, where he received the injury which proved fatal.  He and his comrades had taken one line of German trenches and were taking the second when shrapnel caught him in the groin.  He died at Sheffield Royal Hospital on 3rd June.  Full military honours were accorded at the funeral. His widow and young two children were unable to attend his funeral being in Canada at the time but several other family members were in attendance, there were  beautiful floral tributes.”

 Like most of the Canadians buried in the Reading Cemetery, Corporal Penford, has had his name recorded in the “Books of Remembrance”.  It is to be found in the Addendum to the 1915 B.E.F. entries.

Penfold Remembrance Page

William MacFarlane MacBeth

Canadian, Registered War Grave

William MacFarlane MacBeth
Corporal 1099189
10th Batt. Canadian Railway Troops
(Ontario Regt.)

Division 75
Extension

William MacBeth died on 20th March 1919.  He was the husband of Nellie MacBeth,  of Coleman, East Totonto.

The grave of William MacBeth grave is one of the registered CWGC graves in the cemetery.  Grave number 16605.The original family memorial of a cross with the inscription to William MacBeth was replaced in 1998 with a war pattern CWGC headstone after the author alerted the Commission that the inscription was indistinct.  The headstone bears the traditional Canadian maple leaf.

A copy of the Canadian Book of Remembrance page can be obtained via the Internet.

William Lawrence & Frank Lawrence

Army, Canadian, Other Regiments, Registered War Grave

William Lawrence
Sapper 150378
Railway Troops Depot

Frank Lawrence
Sapper 782136
13th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops

War Plot
Division 71 & 72

Lawrence Wm photo Lawrence F photo

The brothers were the sons of Jonas and Louisa Lawrence of Diddenham Cottages, Grazeley. Frank was the younger of their two sons. They boys had three sisters. The 1911 census indicates that only Frank and his sister May were living at home. Frank and his father both worked with horses at a farm in Aldermaston.

William died of blood poisoning on 22 July 1916 aged 25. It is not known how this was contracted.

Frank died of influenza and broncho-pneumonia on 13/2/1919, aged 23. He is buried in Division 64 VI E. 2. Sainte Marie Cemetery Le Harve. Le Harve was the main British base and home to three general and two stationary hospitals as well as four convelescent depots.