William Rhodes

Born 1880 – Died 2nd August 1917

2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment

William Rhodes was born in 1880 at Bitteswell, near Lutterworth, Leicestershire to William and Harriet Rhodes, their youngest child and only son. William senior was a gardener and at that time was working in the gardens of the Manor House, Bitteswell. By 1891 he had returned to his wife's birthplace and was working in the gardens of Cuckfield Place, Sussex.

William became a footman. In 1901, aged 22 he was a footman for Ralph Vivian at 15 Grosvenor Square, London. By 1911 he was working for Lord and Lady Mount Stephen at their London house, 17 Carlton House Terrace as well as at Brocket Hall. He never married. In 1917 he enlisted at Bedford and joined the 2nd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment.

He was killed in action on the 2nd August 1917 aged 37. The battalion on that day was involved in the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, the opening attack of the main part of the Third Battle of Ypres. Heavy rain had fallen for the previous three days on ground battered by shelling. It was a mud-bath. The results were mixed, some ground was taken, some lost and casualties were heavy on both sides.

He is remembered with Honour on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial., panel 31 and 33, one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders.. Each night at 8 pm the traffic is stopped at the Menin Gate while members of the local Fire Brigade sound the Last Post in the roadway under the Memorial's arches.

The entry in the Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine, Lemsford News for September 1917 reads:- “His friends in Lemsford will be grieved to hear that Private Rhodes, Bed Regt., is reported “Missing”. He was a valued servant of Lord and Lady Mount Stephen, who hope to hear news of him that he is still alive, even if a prisoner.'

No record of attending St John's School

LEMSFORD WAR MEMORIAL 1914 - 1918
TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR

 



Lemsford local History Group WW1 Records


Memories & Letters

Memories from the people of Lemsford Parish – letters from the Front and home and much, much more

Local Parish Magazine

From the Bishop's Hatfield Parish Magazine 1914 to 1918, Church- Social - War Records

Servicemen of Lemsford

War records from 98 men who went to war. We show their memories images and why we should never forget them.


5 Facts the Great War


The total number of deaths includes about 10 million military
The total number of deaths includes about 7 million civilians.
98 Servicemen/Women went from lemsford
78 returned back to Lemsford Parish
20 men Never came back


Battles of WW1


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