Henry Hugh Wyeth

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Grave/Memorial:  		Wyeth, Henry H

10 June 1871, Stepney, Middlesex

William and Mary (née Whale)

Royal Marines / 1st Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment

S.845

Private

18 December 1914, Fleurbaix, Belgium, age 42

Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Arrondissement Ieper, West Flanders, Belgium: Panel 14 		      

Biography:
Henry Hugh Wyeth was born on 10 June 1871, in Stepney, Middlesex. He was the son of William, a banker’s messenger, and Mary Ann (née Whale).
After leaving school, Henry worked as a labourer.

On 10 July 1889, Henry enlisted with the Royal Marines. He stood 5 feet 6 2/10 inches tall.  His complexion was described as
‘fresh’; he had black hair and hazel eyes.  When discharged from the Marines in July 1901, he was 5 feet 10 inches tall.

In September 1895, he was awarded the East and West Africa medal ‘with ′90 clasp’ .  When not at sea, Henry served in the
Chatham Division.  He served on the following ships:
    H.M.S. Turquoise, 1/7/1890-8/4/1891
    H.M.S. Marathon, 9/4/1891-26/11-1891
    H.M.S. Boadicea, 27/11/1891-5/4/1894
    H.M.S. Thetis, 21/7/1895-28/8/1895
    H.M.S. Icarus, 29/8/1895-31/12/1897
    H.M.S. Sans Pareil, 24/3/1899-23/4/1901

Henry left the Navy after twelve years and on 11 May 1902, he married Mary Ann Purcell.  Together they had four sons and a
daughter.  In 1911, Henry was living in Knaphill, working as a labourer for Woking Council.  By 1914, he had moved to Temple
Bar in St John’s.

        
 When war broke out, Henry enlisted with The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment in September 1914.  He was assigned to 1st Battalion.  In
December 1914, the 1st Battalion of the Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment was stationed in the area of Fleurbaix, France.  The 1st Queen's also
participated in winter operations and attacks, including a battle near Fromelles-Sailly Road on December 18th, 1914.

Henry Hugh Wyeth was killed on 18 December 1914.  His final resting place is unknown; he is commemorated, along with others of his regiment, on
Panel 14 of the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium.



The battles of the Ypres Salient claimed many lives on both sides and it quickly became clear that the commemoration of members of the Commonwealth forces with no known grave
would have to be divided between several different sites.  The Menin Gate Memorial commemorates those of all Commonwealth nations, except New Zealand, who died in the Salient -
in the case of United Kingdom, casualties before 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions).