Sidney Pratt was born in Leverstock Green near Hemel Hempstead on Sunday, 29th August 1897 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on Sunday, 24th October in the same year. He was the second child and first son born to Frank Pratt and Emma Sear and Sidney had two sisters, Ellen (Nellie) and Hilda and three brothers, Leslie, Arthur and Frank. His cousin Harry Sear also fought in the Great War and was killed in 1918. Harry’s biography also appears on this site.

When Sidney was born his family were living at 15 Astley Road in Hemel Hempstead and his father Frank worked as a ‘Grocer’s Carman’ or what we know as a delivery driver today. By 1911 the family had moved to the top end of Astley Road and lived at number 43. By this time Sidney aged 13 had left school and started work in the printing trade.

On the outbreak of war, Sidney was not old enough to enlist but he could not wait until his eighteenth birthday and joined the colours at Hemel Hempstead in May 1915, when he was still seventeen years old. He enlisted with the Bedfordshire Regiment and was posted to the 7th (Service) Battalion at Salisbury Plain to begin basic training.

The 7th Battalion had the nickname “The Shiny Seventh” which was also adopted by a number of other 7th Battalions in the British Army. The nickname derives from the 7th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment as it was the only red-coated and brass-buttoned battalion in a brigade otherwise uniformed in rifle green with black buttons.

It seems that Sidney was sent to France in early 1916 and joined his comrades in ‘C’ Company at Fricourt to the east of Albert. He saw some action in the trenches during the next few months and then took part in the Battle of Albert, the first stage of the Somme Offensive in July 1916.

On the first day of the battle the 7th Battalion were ordered to attack with the objective of capturing the German front lines and support trenches and ultimately the Pommiers Redoubt. This they did successfully but with significant casualties, losing 15 Officers and 306 Other Ranks. Six men were listed as ‘Missing’ and unfortunately Sidney was amongst this group.

Sidney was subsequently reported ‘Killed in Action’ on Saturday, 1st July 1916.

His death was reported in the Hemel Gazette along with letters of sympathy to his parents from soldiers of the 2nd Border Regiment who found and buried his body after the initial attacks. 

His parents posted an ‘In Memoriam’ message in the Gazette a year later to commemorate Sidney’s death.

Sidney is Remembered with Honour at the Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, Somme, France, Grave III. D. 3. The inscription on his headstone requested by his mother Emma reads: “UNTIL WE MEET R.I.P.”

He was only 18 years old when he died.

Sidney was entitled to the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.