Joseph was
born in Wickford in 1893, and enlisted originally in the Royal Engineers at
Warley. He transferred to the 15th Hampshire Regt and was killed in action 2nd
October 1918 on the Ypres salient. He was 27 years old and rests in Hooge
Crater. Hooge Chateau and its stables were the scene of very fierce fighting
throughout the First World War.
On 31 October 1914, the staff of the 1st and
2nd Divisions were wiped out when the chateau was shelled; from 24 May to 3
June 1915, the chateau was defended against German attacks and in July 1915,
the crater was made by a mine sprung by the 3rd Division.
On 30 July, the
Germans took the chateau, and on 9 August, it and the crater were regained by
the 6th Division. The Germans retook Hooge on 6 June 1916 and on 31 July 1917,
the 8th Division advanced 1.6 kilometres beyond it. It was lost for the last
time in April 1918, but regained by the 9th (Scottish) and 29th Divisions on 28
September. |