Private Sidney Philip REEVE
East Surrey Regiment 36728
Sidney Reeve was born in Spratton on 2 January 1899, the fourth son of George Reeve, an ironstone labourer, and his wife Lydia, both from Spratton. There were six children born while the family lived in Spratton and two more when they moved to Northampton in 1901. When Sidney left school he became a boot finisher in the boot and shoe trade in Northampton. Four of the Reeve brothers served in the First World War – George, Richard (known as Harry), Samuel and Sidney. Samuel, George and Sidney all died; Harry was the only one to survive.
Sidney was keen to join his brothers and play his part in the war and he volunteered on 25 September 1916 when he was only 17. He had already served in the 3rd Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment as a boy and not been discharged until January 1916. He was mobilised on 7 March 1917 when he was 18 and sent to France with the East Surrey Regiment.
He took part in many engagements in various sectors of the fighting and his surviving military papers indicate that he went missing, presumed dead, on 19 May 1918. His parents were not told officially until they received a letter from the regiment dated 10 January 1920. The National Roll of the Great War gives a slightly different story. His entry reads “…he was in action with his unit in the Retreat of 1918, during which he was badly wounded. He unhappily died from the effects of his wounds on 19 May 1918.” He is buried in the Pernois British Cemetery in Halloy-les-Pernois, France, with the tribute that he died of his wounds on 22 May 1918 aged 19. Sidney was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
MORE INFORMATION
Pernois British Cemetery France
Pernois British Cemetery France
EXPLORE SECTIONS
MEN WHO SERVED
- Private Charles Herbert AUSTIN (known as Herbert)
- Corporal Frank AUSTIN
- Lance Corporal James William AUSTIN
- Private John Samuel AUSTIN
- Sergeant William Henry AUSTIN
- Sergeant Bertie Henry BALDERSON
- Corporal Frederick Charles BALDERSON MM
- Lance Corporal Robert Samuel BALDERSON
- Private George William BUCKBY (known as William)
- Private Henry Andrew BUCKBY
- Richard Henry Horne BUCKBY
- Transport Sergeant Thomas BUCKBY MM
- Company Quartermaster Sergeant William Gander BUCKBY
- William Archibald COPSON (known as Archibald)
- Sapper Ebenezer COPSON
- Private Ernest Edward COPSON
- Pioneer Henry Owman COPSON (known as Harry)
- Private James COPSON
- Private John William COPSON
- Private Joseph COPSON
- Private Arthur Sidney GOODEN (known as Sidney)
- Private Hugh Henry GOODEN
- Sergeant Joseph Eric GOODEN (known as Eric)
- Private Arthur Thomas HAYTER
- Driver Frank Leonard HAYTER
- Private Harold Herbert HAYTER
- Lance Corporal John Charles HAYTER DCM (known as Jack)
- Private Walter Ernest HAYTER
- Ordinary Seaman Arthur Charles HORNE
- Private John William HORNE (known as William)
- Lance Corporal Lewis HORNE
- Private Thomas HORNE
- Driver John Henry LEESON
- Corporal Joseph Henry LEESON (known as Harry)
- Thomas Baden Powell LEESON (known as ‘Bard’)
- Private Albert MANNING
- Corporal Amos MANNING
- Private Arthur Cecil MANNING
- Private George MANNING
- Sergeant George William MANNING
- Sapper Henry Stanley MANNING (known as Stanley)
- Private John Thomas MANNING
- Private John William MANNING
- Air Mechanic Nathaniel MANNING
- Driver/Saddler Samuel MANNING
- Gunner George Albert MARTIN
- Private Joseph MARTIN
- Private Thomas Henry MARTIN (known as Harry)
- Private Thomas Walter MARTIN (known as Walter)
- Pioneer Walter Ernest MARTIN
- Sergeant William Higgs MARTIN, DCM
- Private Arthur Walter PAGE
- Private Francis Samuel PAGE (known as Sam)
- Private Frank PAGE
- Private Stephen PAGE
- Lieutenant George REEVE MC MM
- Private Richard Henry REEVE (known as Harry)
- Private Samuel REEVE
- Private Sidney Philip REEVE
- Private Frederick Thomas RICHARDSON
- Private John William RICHARDSON
- Private Percy John Partridge RICHARDSON
- Private Abraham Bert SMITH
- Private Alfred SMITH
- Private Frank SMITH 46648
- Private John Samuel SMITH
- Private John William SMITH (6942)
- Private John William (William John) SMITH (8964)
- Private Charles Walter WADHAMS
- Private John Edward WADHAMS
- Private Thomas Edwin WADHAMS
- Private William WADHAMS