EVERETT, Henry
No. G/1863, Private, Henry EVERETT
Aged 20
7th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment
Killed in Action on Sunday 26th September, 1915
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Born in Exning, Q2-1895,[Newmarket 3b:532] son of Henry and Emma EVERITT (nee WATSON) on Oxford Street, Exning and after Henry's death of 5 Windsor Terrace,
Church Street, Exning. 1901 census...Henry [5] was at 2 Heath Cottages, Exning with father Henry [43] a domestic groom, born Ousden...his mother Emma [39] born Bishops Stortford...brother Albert [15] shop boy, born Newmarket...brother Ernest [12] shop boy, born Newmarket..sister Alice [10] born Exning..and brother Frank [2] born Exning. 1911 census...still at 2 Heath Cottages, Laceys Lane, Exning were Henry, a farm labourer, his parents, his married brother Ernest, a stableman.. brother Frank and sister Emma [9] born Exning. Confusion is possible with Reuben Harry Everett, this other Everitt family in Exning has mother Emma (2nd wife of Rueben senior) and uses Henry or Harry as given names. All official forms show the family name as Everitt, so it seems the War Memorial has used the wrong spelling. To confuse things further, there is a Henry Everitt in the Norfolk Cemetery (our man) and a Harry Everett from Dewsbury (nearest the Cross). Henry enlisted at Redhill in Surrey, where he had worked for 2 years with a veterinary practice Henry's entry in "Our Exning Heroes" reads as follows: Everett, Harry. Queen's Royal West Surrey Henry Everett joined at the commencement of the war, and was killed about a year later, on September 25th, 1915, at the age of twenty-one. He was buried in Pricourt, close to the place where he fell. A corporal, in sending the sad news home to his parents, writes as follows: "I can assure you he died doing his duty as a good soldier for his king and country. He was very much liked in my section, and his friends wish me to say how greatly they miss him and he will always be in our memory. It was a Sunday afternoon, September 26th, when he was sitting outside his dug-out, that a shell came over and exploded near him, causing fatal injuries, also wounding two others who were standing near him. Our Chaplain buried him the next day in our little churchyard just behind the firing line". The Chaplain also writes; "The little Active Service Book and Prayer-card were given to him by me a month ago, and the decision which he records in the Testament shows he lived and died a Christian soldier." After leaving school he had worked on the farm for Lord Durham till two years before the war, when he was with a veterinary surgeon at Redhill. (Pricourt, above, is a mis-spelling of Fricourt, 5 km east of Albert). The Newmarket Journal of 9th October 1915 reported :- KILLED AT THE FRONT IN FRANCE - Pte Henry Everitt, Queen's Royal; West Surrey Regt.,a son of Mr. and Mrs Henry Everitt of Rose Cottage, The Avenue, Exning, was we learn with regret, killed in action on Sunday week in France. The intelligence was conveyed to his parents on Friday of last week, in letters from the Rev. Leonard L.Jeeves, Church of England chaplain, and Corpl.Joseph O.Smith of the Queen's West Surrey. The chaplain sent Mrs. Everitt a little parcel of the deceased's personal treasure, and say in a very kind and sympathetic letter, "It will be a little comfort to you to know that death came without much pain- in a short time it was all over. I went out to bury him at noon today in a spot close to the trenches where he laid down his life in a great cause. the little active service book and the prayer card were given to him by ma a month ago,and the decision which he records in the Testament shows that he lived and died a Christian soldier. I am sure you don't mind me keeping the card. All the other things are returned herewith.I cut the string of the crucifix, thinking you would wish me to send it to you...May the divine Consoler who knows our sorrows sustain you in your loss". Corpl Smith writes "Your son having been in my section since the beginning of his training, I feel it is my duty to write and express my deepest sympathy with that of the section, in the great loss which you have to bear.I can assure you he died doing his duty as a good soldier for his King and Country. He was very much liked in my section and his friends wish me to say how greatly they miss him. He will always be in our memories. It was on Sunday afternoon, September 26th, that he was sitting outside his dug-out when a shell came over and exploded near him, causing fatal injuries, also wounding two others who were standing near him. Our chaplain buried him next day in our little churchyard just behind the firing line. I pray that God will give you strength to bear your great sorrow, and that you will find comfort in knowing that your son died for a great cause in which he was fighting". Pte. Everittt was only 20 years last May, and enlisted in August 1914, at Redhill, just after the war broke out. He was at that time in the employ of a veterinary surgeon at Redhill. Previously he had been in the service of Col.Baird and Lord Durham. Mr. and Mrs Everitt have two other sons at the front - acting Sergt. Albert Everitt, A.S.C., and Pte.Ernest Everitt. 8th Suffolks. Their only other son is too young to enlist. |
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The 7th Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment, were part of 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division in Kitcheners 2nd Army. The regiment was sometimes known as the
Mutton Lancers on account of their badge. On September 26 1915 the war diary for the 7th battalion at Becourt records : "Artillery bombardment continued at 2:35 pm. Enemy shelled our front line trenches at 1 pm and 4:30 pm. Some damage was done to a machine gun emplacement and 5 casualties were caused in "C" Coy. in Tambour trench.Battalion was relieved by 8th East Surrey Regt and marched back to billets in Ville sous Corbie. A clean village, best billets yet. Strength of battalion Officer 29. Other Ranks 1026. Men in hospital 15" Henry was the only one of the battalion killed that day |
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details