• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Roberts and Arscott family history

Four centuries of my ancestors in Devon

  • Home
  • About
  • Information
  • Newspapers
  • Latest
  • Contact

My family at war: Part two

31 May 2022

This month, I have continued to honour the 104 men connected to my family who died in the two world wars and the 2nd Boer War. I am remembering them all on Twitter on the anniversaries of their deaths. The second group – including six who died in the two world wars and my great-great grandfather, who had a record 30 grandsons serving in the Great War – were:

May 3

Lance-corporal George Henry Stevens was killed in the Battle of Arras in France on May 3, 1917. His body was never found. George, who served in the 4th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, is remembered on the Arras Memorial.

May 4                                                    

Pte George Reuben Martin Fisher was 20 when he died in Tunisia – in the North African Campaign – on May 4, 1943. George, of the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Hampshire Regiment, took part in a heroic four-day defence of Tebourba, near Tunis, in November 1942.

May 21

John Roberts, my great-great grandfather, who had a record 30 grandsons serving in the Great War, died on May 21, 1919, aged 90. Seven of his grandsons never made it home. A memorial cross in John’s honour stands in the churchyard in Witheridge, Devon.

May 24

Sydney James Rice (1911-1940), a sergeant in the 55 (Devon) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment of the Royal Artillery, lost his life in the Battle of Narvik – against invading German forces – in Norway on May 24, 1940. He was 29.

May 27

William Henry Kingdom (1890-1916), who was married with two children, died from heart disease in Mesopotamia on May 27, 1916, aged 26. A corporal in the 1/4th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment, he is remembered on the Basra Memorial.

May 30

John ‘Jack’ Roberts (1894-1915) died of wounds – sustained in or after the Battle of Aubers Ridge – on May 30, 1915, two days before his 21st birthday. Jack, a private in the 2nd Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment, was buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.

May 31

Ordinary seaman David Stephen Penny (1897-1916) was one of more than 1,000 officers and men who died in the British battlecruiser HMS Invincible when she was blown up in the Battle of Jutland on May 31, 1916. He is remembered on Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

Picture below:

The bow and stern of HMS Invincible standing upright on the bed of the North Sea after being sunk during the Battle of Jutland. Public Domain image (via Wikimedia Commons).

Share this post:

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Rifleman Louis survived Great War after being shot in the head
  • Your family history – told in a unique newspaper
  • Unveiled: An extraordinary story that would have shocked the world
  • Boy who went to Australia served as field ambulanceman in WW2
  • Cook’s mate Ernest’s day of high drama in Battle of Jutland

Search

Data, Terms & Privacy Statement | Home | Contact Me

Copyright © 2025 · Roberts and Arscott family history
Website designed and hosted by Mid Wales Design

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Read MoreAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT