Category Archives: Registered War Grave

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

Herbert B Pendlebury

Navy, Registered War Grave

Herbert B. Pendlebury
Petty Officer 239381 Royal Navy
H.M.S. “Victory”

Division 55

PendleburyAB photo

 

Herbert Pendlebury was the son of  Mr Roger and Mrs Mary Anne Pendlebury of 107, Cholmeley Road, Reading and the husband of Ada Mary Pendlebury, of 33, Mill Lane, Reading.  Herbert was born in Devises, Wiltshire although his brothers Albert, Walter and Arthur were all born abroad in Cape Colony and India. The 1891 census indicates that Roger was in the armed services as a Colour Sergeant with the Volunteers, the family were then living in Wiltshire. In 1901 he was a labourer at the biscuit factory. The 1911census indicates that Herbert was serving in the Royal Navy in Asia and China. It is believed that he married in early 1918.

 His is a registered war grave with a CWGC war pattern headstone.  Grave number 12160.  He died 5th March 1919 aged 28. Cause of death is given as dying of disease. Details of his service record are unknown.  George Albert Moxey Pratt also served in the HMS Victory and his details are given on this web site.

Sidney Edward Oates

Army, Other Regiments, Reading Blue Coat School, Registered War Grave

Sydney Edward Oates
Quarter Master Serjeant
3rd Battalion Suffolk Regiment .

War Plot

Oates SE photo screen wall

Sydney Edward Oates was the third son of late Mr & Mrs William Thomas Oates of “Moreton” Talford Avenue, Reading. Quartermaster Sergeant Oates died at Katesgrove Hospital.  In the Reading Standard of  August 11. 1917 he was described as “a gallant soldier and a keen, conscientious church worker”.  He was spoken of in glowing terms by his officers.  He had had a varied and honourable military career. It appears that his untiring energy in the early days of the war may have contributed to the illness which was the cause of his death.

Sydney Oates was born on Jan 12th 1870 in the parish of St. Giles and was educated at the British school, later going to the Blue Coat School.  Leaving school in 1884 he went into the ironmongery trade with Mr. Hawkes, High St.  He enlisted in the Suffolk Regt. on 7th Oct. 1889 and saw service in Egypt from 1889-1891, India from 1891-1892, and at home from 1893-1896 at Colchester and Warley.  He was on reserve for  3 years and served again with his regiment in the South African War, 1899-1902.  He remained in South Africa for some years after his 12 years service and on returning to England worked for Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corp. HQ in London.  He re-enlisted with the Suffolks on Nov. 12th 1914 and was stationed at Felixstowe.  He was invalided out in 1916 and passed away “bravely and patiently” as a pensioner.

The funeral took place with full military honours.  Chief mourners included Miss Gibbs & Pte. H. M. Oates, Canadian Expeditionary Force and his sisters.  Their were a large number of floral tributes.

His major wrote when he had to leave the battalion through ill health”  I should like to take the opportunity of thanking you for all the good work you have done from the time you came up until you were most unfortunately incapacitated….I personally owe you a deep debt of gratitude for your loyal and devoted services during a period when failure meant disaster….I know how grieved you are at being unable to see the war through, but rest easy on that score.  You have done your duty”.

His name is entered on the screen wall in the War Plot. His extensive service records are available on Ancestry UK.