R.V. Anderson
William Kirby and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
Reginald was born at New Seaham in 1887 to parents Edward John and Eliza. The couple had 5 children together but unfortunately one died.
The following narrative has been supplied from an unidentified source:-
“His parents were Edward John Armstrong, a school teacher at New Seaham Boys School then due to failing health a clerk of the Co-operative Society, and Eliza, the headmistress of New Seaham Londonderry Girls School. Reginald’s education progressed from New Seaham Londonderry Colliery Schools to Bede College between 1905 and 1907 and finally to Hatfield College, Durham University, where he gained a B.A. degree in 1911. His decision to pursue a career in teaching followed not only that of his mother but also his elder siblings.
Rosaline, a certified mistress assistant in 1901 and Herbert, a pupil teacher who went on to become President of the School Attendance Officers’ National Association (later the National Association of Social Workers in Education).
From 1907 Reginald was Assistant Master of Bede Model School. On 10 September 1914 he and his wife sailed on the S.S. Martaban form Liverpool to Port Said, Egypt in order for him to take up a position in Cairo as an assistant history master at Elhamish Secondary School.
In early 1916 he was given a commission in the Imperial Camel Corps, attached to the Egyptian Camel Transport Corps with the rank of second Lieutenant. His appointment as an officer was perhaps due to his previous experience in the Officers’ Training Corps at Durham University.
On March 17th 1917 while swimming he suffered an apparent heart attack and was accidentally drowned. He is buried at Kantara War Memorial Cemetery.
In the summer of 1912 Reginald had married Ivy Ellen, second daughter to Mr and Mrs Robert Curry of New Seaham. Their child was 2 years old at the time of Reginald’s drowning. The estate at probate was valued at £210. The family suffered a double tragedy for Reginald’s father, Edward, had died only a few weeks previously.
A letter from the captain of Reginald’s company to his widow was published in the Sunderland Daily Echo of 13/04/1917.
“I wish to tell you how dreadfully sorry all the officers of the Company are at his death. He was universally liked and one of the best officers in the Corps, always unselfish and thoughtful. He was drowned in quite shallow water on a warm, calm day. I think his heart must have failed. He was buried on the 18/03/1917 at ….. by the Church of England Chaplain and we are erecting a cross. There are graves of other soldiers there. I cannot tell you how sorry I am for you and your son. A small grain of comfort is that he died as a real man doing his duty for his country.”
Newspaper articles on April 13th 1917 were published in Newcastle Journal and Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer.
Reginald Victor Armstrong is remembered at Durham on D47.017 D47.024 D47.126 D47.127 and D47.151 and at Seaham Harbour on S117.05
