Roll of Honour - Hertfordshire - St. Albans, Vyse & Son

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

ST ALBANS, VYSE & SON WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 - Detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Jon Mein 2012

This memorial is affixed to the wall of Antony Gibbs House in Ridgmont Road, St Albans, the former of the former Vyse & Son straw hat factory. It takes the form of a stone plaque, shaped at the top, with the shelf below, with embossed black lettering for the inscription and names, of which there are 10. The original building was demolished but the memorial was retained by St Albans City Council who own the building.

Photograph Copyright © John Mein 2012

TO
THE HONOUR
OF THE MEN OF VYSES
WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918.
THIS TABLET IS ERECTED
BY THE FIRM AND EMPLOYEES

THEIR NAMES ARE:

DOPSON	Edward [Josiah]	Private 612685, "B" Company, 2/19th (County of London) Battalion (St Pancras), London Regiment. Died of wounds in the Blakans 18th May 1917. Aged 19. Born Canning Town, enlisted Whitehall, resident St Albans. Son of Mary Ann Dopson, of 24, Clifton St., St. Albans, Herts. Buried in KARASOULI MILITARY CEMETERY, Greece. Section C. Grave 552. See also St Albans WW1 memorial
FOSTER	Walter	Sergeant 10575, 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 6th April 1918. Aged 26. Resident 29 Fishpool Street. Born, resident and enlisted St Albans. His brother Albert is commemorated on the Albert Street memorial. Employed at Vyse's Hat factory, Rigmont Road, and is also commemorated on their memorial. Buried in GOMMECOURT BRITISH CEMETERY No. 2, HEBUTERNE, Pas de Calais, France. Plot IV. Row H. Grave 27. See also St Albans WW1 memorial and Fishpool Street Memorial
HATTON	Alfred	[Spelt HATTEN on St Alban's memorial and listed as aged 20 when he went to war.] Private 10579, 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 15 July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme. Aged 21. Born, resident and enlisted St Albans. Son of William Francis Hatten, of 66, Ramsbury Rd., St. Albans, Herts; youngest of four sons, who all served in the War. Sent to France 30 July 1915. Before the War he was a Great Northern (G.N.) Railway Clerk. Buried in POZIERES BRITISH CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE, Somme, France. Plot III. Row H. Grave 37. See also St Albans WW1 memorial Note: The Hatfield and St Albans Railway was a branch of the Great Northern Railway which connected the Hertfordshire towns of St Albans and Hatfield. It opened in 1865 with the principal aim of allowing St Albans traffic to access the Great Northern's main line to London at Hatfield, but soon came into difficulties when the Midland Railway inaugurated a direct route to London through St Albans. Passenger receipts declined in the 1930s, resulting in the temporary withdrawal of services in 1939. Passenger services were permanently withdrawn in 1951, leaving goods traffic to linger on until December 1968. Much of the route of the line is now incorporated into the Alban Way, a footpath and cycleway.
HENSHAW	Sidney [John]	Private G/22790, 6th Battalion, Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died of wounds 28th September 1917. Aged 19. Born, resident and enlisted St Alban's. Son of John and Emily Henshaw, of 74, Fishpool St., St. Albans, Herts. Formerly 28139, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment). Buried in DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN, Pas de Calais, France. Plot V. Row B. Grave 32. See also St Albans WW1 memorial
HOBBS	Frederick William	Corporal 23395, 14th Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Killed in action 21st March 1918. Aged 24. Born Kempston, Bedfordshire, enlisted Hertford, resident St. Alban's. Formerly 2567, Hertfordshire Regiment. No known grave. Commemorated on POZIERES MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Panel 90 to 93. See also St Albans WW1 memorial
MATTHEWS	James	Rifleman C/1534, 16th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps. Died of wounds 2nd July 1916. Aged 18½. Born Sandridge, enlisted St Albans. Son of George and Sarah Ann Matthews, of Sandridge, St Albans. No known grave. Commemorated on LOOS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 101 and 102.
MERRIDALE	Frederick Walter	[Listed on memorila as aged 27 when he went to war]. Private 67873, 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Killed in action 30th December 1917. Aged 29. Born and resident St Albans, enlisted Watford. Son of David and Jane Merridale, of 23, Pageant Rd., St. Albans, Herts. Formerly 7016, Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). No known grave. Commemoratedon THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 8 C 9 A and 16 A. See also Pageant Road memorial and St Albans WW1 memorial
NOTT	Kenneth Ernest	Private 265286, 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 21st September 1917. Aged 23. Born Luton, enlisted and resident St Albans. Son of Mrs. Eliza Jane Nott, of 15, Clarence Rd., St. Albans and the late Ernest Charles Nott. Buried in PERTH CEMETERY (CHINA WALL), Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot II. Row H. Grave 6. See also St Albans WW1 memorial and St Albans St Saviour Church.
VIALS	William Thomas	[Memorial lists him as Aged 21.] Private 75944, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) posted to 2/2nd Battalion, London Regiment. Killed in action 24th April 1918. Born and resident St Albans, enlisted Watford. Son of Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Vials, of 51, Church St., St. Albans, Herts. Formerly 17507, 29th Training Reserve Battalion. No known grave. Commemorated on POZIERES MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Panel 19 to 21. See also St Albans WW1 memorial
WALDOCK	Ernest Frederick George	[Memorial states aged 18½, the age he went to war] Rifleman C/437, 16th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps. Killed in action 21st July 1916. Aged 20. Resident 1 Thorpe Road. Born and enlisted St Albans. Son of William and Elizabeth Waldock, of 1, Thorpe Rd., St. Albans, Herts. Employed at Vyse's Hat factory, Rigmont Road, and his name appears on their memorial also. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 13 A and 13 B. See also Bardwell Road memorial and St Albans WW1 memorial

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Last updated: 23 December, 2016

War Memorials Trust