Ypres Reservoir Cemetery: P. Priano
Ypres Reservoir Cemetery: Pauline Priano
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Reginald George Avery, one of 5 children of whom only 4 are known, was the eldest of 2 brothers and had 2 elder sisters. His father William Alexander Avery born 1856 at Whittington married in 1878 to Mary Ann Redpath, at Rothbury, Northumberland, where she was born in 1853. Daughters Charlotte Ann and Eliza Jane were born in 1877 and 1879 respectively, Reginald George 1881 and John William in 1885. They lived at South Lodge Rothbury where William Alexander was a game keeper and had moved to Rivers Well Lodge, Cragside, ten years later, Reginald now 19 was employed as a hotel bus driver, John (15) was a woodman. By 1911 William was still working as a gamekeeper, however he and his wife were living alone at Cragside Estate, as Eliza Jane had married in 1904, Charlotte Ann in 1905, as was Reginald but unfortunately John William aged 25 years had died during the 1st quarter (Jan/ Feb/Mar) 1911.
Married at Lanchester, County Durham in 1907 to Mary Elizabeth Rainbow born 1884 at Stanley, County Durham, in the census of 1911 they were living at 1, Beaconsfield Street, West Stanley with their 2 children, John George Alexander born June 10th 1908 and Walter Rainbow December 27th 1909, Eileen was born September 1st 1911 and Randell in 1914, Reginald supported his family employed as a surface colliery labourer. His mother Mary Ann Avery nee Redpath died at the beginning of 1914 in the district of Rothbury aged 61 years, within 6 months Britain and Germany were at war.
Reginald George Avery was one of the first to enlist, September 7th 1914, at Stanley and assigned as Private 9480 Durham Light Infantry to the 4th Battalion which remained in England for the duration of the war but also provided men for the draft. The 4th Battalion once mobilised had left Barnard Castle for the Tyne Defences at Wallsend and along the north bank of the Tyne. It later moved to Killingworth then Forest Hall before arriving, September 1915 at Seaham Harbour. While he was with the colours son Randell died April 15th 1914 aged 13 months, in his absence, Mary Elizabeth’s brother was the informant. Reginald departed to France, August 17th 1915 via Southhampton for Le Havre, at the Infantry Base Depot, August 28th, he was posted to the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry, a battalion of the Regular Army, joining them in the field on the Ypres salient in Belgium as few of the original men who had landed in 1914 were still serving, due to heavy casualties. November 28th 1915 Private Avery was taken by the Field Ambulance arriving at the 50th Casualty Clearing Station, Hazelbroeck, December 4th and admitted to be treated for scabies. Discharged December 11th he returned to his battalion on the 18th. Two days later Private 4/9480 Reginald George Avery was killed in action on the salient and buried 50 yards north of Ypres prison. Post war Ypres Prison Cemetery was renamed Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, the remains of Private Avery were exhumed and brought the short distance into the cemetery for re-burial where he is at rest, grave I. B. 45 flanked by Private Purdy of Sheriff Hill, Gateshead and Private Thwaites of Sunderland.
His widow of 1, Beaconsfield Street, West Stanley received all his property, personal effects (received March 3rd 1916) and all monies due to him as per his will, a pension of 20/6 a week as of July 10th 1916 for herself and their 3 children, also his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Mary Elizabeth commissioned at a cost of 1 shilling 9 pence an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “At Rest.”
Reginald’s father William Alexander Avery died, April 23rd 1968, at Rothbury, Northumberland, aged 69 years, Eileen Lomax nee Avery, September 6th 2000 aged 89 years, details as regards John George Alexander Avery, Walter Rainbow Avery and their mother Mary Elizabeth Avery nee Rainbow, unknown.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Reginald George Avery is remembered at Stanley in S135.04 and at Rothbury on R24.01, R24.02, R24.04 and R24.16
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 336
