Lewis Rhymes died of wounds on this day in 1914

Lewis Rhymes was born in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire in 31 March 1885, the son of Edwin (an agricultural labourer) and Elisa. He was one of three children.

Lewis was working as an agricultural labourer at the time of his initial enlistment. He joined the army in July 1904 and, with the 2nd Bn Gloucestershire Regt, served in England and Malta until transferring to the 1st Battalion in 1910 (and remaining in England).

In August 1911, Lewis was discharged to the reserve and, after a short employment with the Chipping Norton Gas Company, enlisted into the Police as a constable in the Oxfordshire Constabulary.

At the end of June 1914 Lewis married Ellen Sale.

After serving within the Bullingdon and Ploughley Divisions between 1912 and 1914, on the outbreak of war in August 1914 he was recalled back to military service, and rejoined the 1st Bn Gloucesters. He landed at Le Havre on 27 August 1914.

A participant in the Battle of the Aisne and the 1st Battle of Ypres, Lewis was severely wounded in action at Givenchy on 20 December 1914 and evacuated to the rear, where he died of wounds on Christmas Day 1914.

Lewis is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais.

His Pension Card tells us more than is revealed in the newspapers of the time - clearly his wife was expecting their first child when Lewis was killed, the son (Edwin Lewis Harry) was born four months later, in April 1915.

7657 Pte Lewis Rhymes, 1st Bn. Gloucestershire Regt.