Personal History
Harry William (Jack) Welch was born in Stanborough on the 12th December 1880, the second son of Adam Alfred and Eliza Welch and baptised at St. John's church Lemsford on the 12th December 1880. On leaving school he became a grocer's assistant and worked in Hatfield and later in Berkhamsted. He never married. No record of attending St John's School
War Record
2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
He enlisted at Berkhamsted and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 27664. Later he was transferred to the Yorkshire and Lancaster Regiment as Private 54976. He died on the 19th of September 1918, aged 38. The War Notes of December 1918 in the Hatfield Parish Magazine read: - 'We regret to announce that Private H.G. Welch lost his life in action on September 19th. For some reason the official information of his death was not received by his relatives until the day the Armistice was signed. The very deepest sympathy will be felt for his sisters, Mrs Fred Scott, Mrs Ernest Scott, and Miss Welch, who have been so long connected with Lemsford.'
War Memorial
Private Harry William Welch 45976. 2nd Bn., York and Lancaster Regiment is remembered with Honour on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 9. This Memorial bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8 August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave.
He is also remembered on his parent's grave in St. John's Lemsford north churchyard Row 11, plot 7. The inscription reads: ‘In loving memory of Alfred Welch, died April 19th 1901 aged 60 years peace perfect peace. also of Mother, wife of the above who fell asleep March 11th 1915 aged 69 years God has wiped all tears from her face also of Jack, their son killed in action Sept 19th 1918 aged 38 years lead thou me on.’
