Urban Blagg
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Urban was born in 1885 in Saxondale and was the son of William a farm labourer and Kate Agnes who lived at East Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. William and Kate had 12 children in total however sadly, 5 died in infancy. Urban's siblings included , Leonard Wiliam, Blanche, Elsie, Cyril, Rupert, Roby, Bently, Poyntz and Owen. In the 1901 census Urban is 16 years of age , he has already left home and is working as a farm labourer in at Cropwell Butler and is living at The Lings with John Beet and his family. By the 1911 census he is with his family at East Bridgford where he is 26 years of age and his occupation is that of soldier, at the address at this time are his parents and siblings Owen 17 yrs and Poyntz 9 years.
Urban enlisted into the army on 26th March 1903 at Newark, he gave his birth place as Saxondale , his age as 18 years and 3 months and his occupation as farm labourer, his next of kin was his father William of East Bridgford. He enlisted for a term of 8years with the colours and 4 in the reserves. He served with the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derbys ) Regiment. He served on the home front from 26th March 1903 until 3rd November 1905. On 4th November 1905 he was posted to Singapore where he served until 11th December 1906. On 17th December 1906 he was transferred to India where he served until 31st March 1911. He was returned to England after this date and on 1st April 1911 having served his eight years with the colours was transferred to the reserves. At the outbreak of the 'Great War' he was mobilized at Derby on 15th August 1914 , on 18th September he embarked from Southampton and joined 2nd battalion the Sherwood Foresters as part of the British Expeditionary Force. Within a month of arriving on the Western Front he was reported missing in action on 20th October 1914 in the Lille area (later amended to killed in action on that date). His body was never recovered or identified and his name is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial. He had served for a total of 11 years and 209 days.
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