Jack Fish
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Jack was the only child of Herbert Edward (or Edwin) and Amy Louise Fish (née Higgs).His father Herbert Edward was born in London in 1870, the son of Thomas Fish, a keeper in Hyde Park. In 1891 Herbert was a valet employed at a club at 68 Pall Mall, St James. His mother Amy Louise was born in Surrey in 1866, the daughter of Charles Higgs, a coachman.Herbert and Amy were married at Knightsbridge Holy Trinity on 29 February 1896; both were living at Mills' Building, Westminster. Their son Jack was born on 9 May 1897 and baptised on 15 June 1897.In 1901 Herbert was the proprietor of chambers at 7 Bennett Street, London, where he lived with his wife and son. Also in the household were two housemaids and three lodgers, a clergyman and two German citizens of private means.By 1911 Herbert and Amy were managers of chambers at 29 Pall Mall, St James, Westminster, On the premises on the night of the census were a cook, kitchen maid, two housemaids, two valets, a lift attendant and a porter. Jack (13) was a student at Worksop College.The later CWGC record gave his parents' address as North Lodge, Paxton Park, St Neots, Huntingdonshire. However, by 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, they were living at the Railway Bungalow, Alconbury, St Neots. Herbert was a cafe proprietor and his sister, Louisa Fish (b. 1873) the cafe manager; Amy was an invalid.Herbert died in 1953 and Amy in 1957; the probate record gave her address as Railway Bungalow, Little Paxont, Huntingdonshire.
He served with the 10th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment. Jack was gazetted on 21 August 1915 as a temporary second lieutenant. He served in France from 26 May 1916 and was killed in action less than two months later on 22 July 1916.He is buried in A.I.F Burial Ground, Flers Somme, France (grave ref. XV.K.32); his grave was brought into the cemetery after the Armistice.He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of A.I.F Burial Ground (extract): 'Flers was captured on 15 September 1916, in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette ... The village was lost during the German advance of March 1918 and retaken at the end of the following August ... The cemetery was begun by Australian medical units, posted in the neighbouring caves, in November 1916-February 1917. These original graves are in Plot I, Rows A and B. It was very greatly enlarged after the Armistice when almost 4,000 Commonwealth and French graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme, and later from a wider area [burial grounds listed].' (www.cwgc.org)
Unknown
