BUSH – Herbert John Bush (1885-1916)

Hadleigh First World War Memorial

Herbert John Bush (1885-1916)

Herbert was born in the spring of 1885 in Rawreth, Essex,  the third of eight children of John BUSH, a general labourer, and his wife, Esther Elizabeth WATSON.

John (b.1853 in Hockley) married Esther (b.1860 in Thundersley) in 1879. They were second cousins, their grandfathers being brothers. Their first five children were born in Rawreth, before the family relocated to Thundersley, where three further children were born.

By the time of the 1901 census, the family was living on New Road,  Hadleigh. John (47), who had been employed as an agricultural labourer in his twenties and thirties, was labouring at the local water works.

1. Alice Mary Bush (1880-1953) – m.1899 to Thomas Henry Schooling
2. Emma Annie Bush (1881-1952) – m.1902 to Arthur Crabb
3. Herbert John Bush (1885-1916) – unmarried; builder’s carman, soldier
4. Joseph Issac Bush (1887-1953) – m.1912 to Lily Lizzie Schooling
5. Ellen Bush (1889-1968) – m.1915 to William James Boatman, m.1928 to Thomas Henry Halton
6. Sarah Bush (1894-1978) – m.1918 to George Alfred Halton
7. Rose Maud Bush (1898-1985) – m.1919 to Sidney John Smith
8. Alfred Thomas Bush (1900-1935) – unmarried; farm labourer, soldier, brick machinist

By 1911, Herbert, aged 25 and unmarried, was working as a builder’s carman and still living at home. His father, John, was working as a butcher’s stockman. His mother, Esther, died shortly after the census was taken, aged 52.

In March 1915, Herbert John Bush, aged 29, travelled to Southend and enlisted as a Private with the Essex Regiment, 2nd Battalion. He embarked for France at the beginning of September 1916, where he joined his unit in the Lesbœufs/Gueudecourt sector during the Battle of the Somme. The 2nd Essex had already played a significant role on the offensive’s opening day, 1st July 1916, suffering heavy casualties during a costly and unsuccessful attack near Serre. By October, the battalion was still engaged in the protracted and brutal latter phases of the gruelling offensive, a period marked by high casualties. On 15th October 1916, after a mere six weeks in France, Herbert was shot in the heart by a sniper at Les Boeufs, killing him instantly at the age of 31.

Herbert was posthumously awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal. His remaining pay and effects went to his father.

The St James the Less church WWI plaque lists H J Bush as having died in 1916, and the memorial plaque names him as Herbert John Bush.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission states:

• Private HERBERT JOHN BUSH
• Service Number: 40137
• Regiment & Unit/Ship: Essex Regiment, 2nd Bn.
• Date of Death: 15 October 1916
• Buried or commemorated at THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, France, Pier and Face 10 D.
• Country of Service: United Kingdom

Harolds Siblings

Both of Herbert’s brothers enlisted during the First World War, Joseph with the Royal Garrison Artillery and Alfred with the Royal Air Force. Emma’s husband also served with the Royal Garrison Artillery, while Sarah’s husband was in the Royal Field Artillery. Ellen’s first husband attempted to enlist, but was found to be unfit for service. Her second husband served with the Royal Flying Corps.

1.  Alice Mary Bush

Alice married carpenter and joiner Thomas Henry SCHOOLING on 4th November 1899 in Thundersley. They had four children born between 1901 and 1911, then after a long gap, a fifth child was born in 1922. Thomas died in 1949, aged 70, followed by Alice in 1853, aged 72.

2. Emma Annie Bush

Emma married bricklayer Arthur CRABB on 14th June 1902 in Thundersely. They had seven children born between 1903 and 1926 (Emma was aged 46 at the birth of their final child). Emma died in 1952, aged 71, and Arthur died in 1970, aged 91.

3. Joseph Issac Bush

In 1911, Joseph was living at home, employed as a bricklayer. On 2nd March 1912, he married Lily Lizzie SCHOOLING, the younger sister of his brother-in-law Thomas Henry Schooling, and the couple welcomed the first of three children the following year. At this time, the family lived at Norfolk Cottage, Beach Road, Hadleigh, where Joseph worked as a well sinker.

On 12th December 1915, two months after his brother Herbert’s death, 28-year-old Joseph enlisted as a Private with the Royal Garrison Artillery. He was sent to the Army Reserve, where he remained for two years and 109 days. Meanwhile, a second child was born in July 1916, with Lily falling pregnant again in August 1917.

On 22nd January 1918, Joseph was mobilised and promoted to Gunner the following day. He landed in France with the British Expeditionary Force on 31st March. Two months later, his third child was born.

On 25th September 1918, after nine months in France, he received a gunshot wound in his right buttock. He was admitted to No.14 General Hospital in Wimereux, located in the Hotel Splendid on the seafront next to the Casino. He returned to England on 28th September and was admitted to the 1st Birmingham War Hospital (Rednal). His wife was informed of his injury on 8th October.

On leaving the hospital in December, Joseph was sent to the Siege Artillery Reserve Battalion, 2/1 Lowland Division at Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex, though he continued to suffer from the lasting consequences of his injuries. The SARB was a temporary unit used for organising soldiers during demobilisation.

On 25th February 1919, Joseph was admonished and lost one day’s pay for overstaying his leave two days prior whilst on active service. He was due back at 20:55, but didn’t return until 21:00 the next day.

Joseph was discharged on 4th April 1919, as he was “no longer physically fit for war service.” He received the Victory Medal, British War Medal and Silver War Badge. He returned to his family at 2 Branch Road, Hadleigh, and found employment as a scaffolder for builders Kirk & Randall of Rainham, Essex. The family’s happiness at Joseph’s return was shattered in early 1920 with the death of their three-year-old son, Jack.

The family remained on Branch Road for many years and was recorded there in the 1939 Register. At the age of 52, Joseph was working as a bricklayer, as was his eldest son, Percy (26, married). His youngest son, Alfred (21), was working as a mercantile marine tailor’s salesman.

Joseph died in 1953 at the age of 65. Lily died many years later, in 1985, at the age of 92, at 4 Branch Road.

5. Ellen Bush

Ellen (aka Nellie) married James BOATMAN in mid-1915, most likely in Hadleigh. James enlisted on 7th Sep 1914, and was discharged 20 days later as”Permanently Unfit – 392 iii c”. “iii” refers to “not being likely to become an efficient soldier” and “c” refers to “recruit within three months of enlistment considered unfit for service”. His next of kin was listed as “brother David, address unknown”. He married Nellie under the name “Arthur J Boatman”, and his death in 1918 (age 29) was also registered under Arthur J Boatman”. However, his given name was actually William James Boatman, and Arthur J (John) Boatman was his brother. Arthur married just after James in 1915 and lived until 1965. James was a year younger than stated on enlisting (25, not 26) and was born in Harlow, not Thundersley. His mother, Eliza, was widowed (her first husband, James, was 40 years her senior) and she remarried to John Gates, moving to Hadleigh by 1901 and Thundersley by 1911. James and David were both living in Thundersley in 1911, so presumably lost contact in the three years before he enlisted. Nellie was named on her brother Herbert’s Dependant’s Pension card c.1920 alongside the note “Widows Case no. 2747 re Pt James Boatman” written in red. She and James had no children, nor did she have any in her second marriage in 1928 to Thomas Henry HALTON (who was the brother of Nellie’s sister Sarah’s husband). Thomas joined the Royal Air Force in 1917 at age 18. Ellen died in 1968 age of 78, and Thomas in 1993 age of 93.

6. Sarah Bush

Sarah married George Alfred HALTON in 1918 (Nellie married his brother Thomas in 1928). George served as a Gunner with the Royal Garrison Artillery during WWI and received the British War Medal and Victory Medal. In 1939, they were living in Hornchurch, with George working as a house painter and decorator. They had four children, and George died in 1958 at the age of 64, and Sarah died in 1978 at the age of 84.

7. Rose Maud Bush

Rose (aka Rosie) was working as a servant in 1911 at the age of 14 for the Allwell family in Hadleigh. The head was Theodore Ellard Allwell, a butcher. She married Sidney “Jack” John SMITH in 1919 age 21 (Jack was 28). In 1911, Jack was living with his parents in Greenwich, Kent. He emigrated to Canada in 1912 at age 22. When he enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Forces on 21 Jul 1915, he was living in Peace River, Northern Sunrise, Alberta, Canada and working as a farmer. He lists his next of kin as his father, who had moved to Hadleigh. Perhaps he was visiting on leave when he met Rosie? Jack returned to Canada directly after marrying Rosie, taking her with him. In 1921, they were living in Grande Prairie, Alberta, where they looked to have lived all their lives. They had four children, but sadly, their first child died at just 30 days old. Rosie herself died in 1985, aged 87, and Jack in 1988, aged 98.

This wonderful photograph was taken on Rosie and Jack’s wedding day in 1919. The Bush family are on the right of the photo. Nellie is likely sitting next to Rose, dressed in mourning black and their father next again. The three ladies behind are most likely the other three sisters, and two of the chaps must be the remaining brothers (ages 32 and 19). The man standing in a military uniform on the right appears to have the same badges as Jack. The family on the left are Sidney’s. Photo thanks to Sidney’s great-grand nephew Michael H. Mann.

8. Alfred Thomas Bush

Alfred enlisted on 27th Apr 1918 (age 17) into the Royal Air Force, and had been working as a farm labourer at the time. He was transferred to the reserves on 27th Feb 1919. He doesn’t appear to have married and died in 1935, aged 35.

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Family Tree

Herbert’s father, John BUSH, was the third of three children born in Hockley, Essex, to parents Joseph BUSH (an Agricultural Labourer) and Ann WATSON (who were second cousins). Joseph died just after John was born age 32, and the three children seem to have been brought up by their grandparents (Ann’s parents). Ann remarried four years later to Arthur ROBINSON and had a further seven children (the last two of which died as babies). Herbert’s mother, Esther Annie WATSON, was the second of seven children born in Rayleigh and Thundersely, Essex, to parents George WATSON (an agricultural labourer) and Sarah Ellen KING. Esther’s father, George, was the first cousin of her husband’s mother (their fathers were brothers).

Herbert’s paternal grandfather, Joseph BUSH, was the sixth of nine children born in Great Dunmow and Elsenham, Essex, to parents John BUSH (an agricultural labourer) and Sophia KEFFORD. Herbert’s paternal grandmother, Ann WATSON, was the third of three known children (there may have been more) born in Hockley and South Fambridge, Essex, to parents Isaac WATSON (and Agricultural Labourer) and Mary Ann WEST.

Herbert’s maternal grandfather, George WATSON, was the sixth of ten children born in Rettendon, Thundersley and Rawreth, Essex, to Henry WATSON (an Agricultural Labourer and brother of Isaac above) and Mary Ann WALKER. It has not been able to trace Herbert’s maternal grandmother, Sarah Ellen KING. Her father was John KING, as stated on her marriage record, but no baptism record has been located for her in Hockley (where she was born).