For the month of November in honour of Armistice Day we will be revisiting the local war graves I have researched. This post was originally published 26th September 2012.
"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them".
Reginald John Pope was born in 1901 in Whymondham Norfolk to Elias Pope and Sarah Betts, Crockery Hawkers. Reginald's family were Gypsies, travelling folk who sell their wares up and down the country. On the 1911 Census the family are shown living in 'A gypsy caravan at Blackamore Lane, Maidenhead, Berkshire', with their eight children, many of whom, including Reginald were attending a local school.
Reginald served in the 4th Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment and may have fought in the Battle of Megidoo, sadly he died in Maidenhead on 19th October 1918. The fact that Reginald has a Commonwealth War Grave suggests that he died as a result of injury or illness sustained during his war service. Unfortunately I have been unable to track down any of Reginald's war service records, which is not surprising as many WWI records were destroyed or damaged by fire during the Blitz.
I really like that you do this for Armistace Day --- it's a good inspiration for me to do a post on 11/11, as well. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for sharing this on Taphophile Tragics!