Reginald's Story.
Born in 1897 Reginald was the eldest son of Edward and Elisa Norbury, Edward was a blacksmith at Toft Smithy, Knutsford. By 1911 Elisa had passed away, 14 year Reginald lived with his father and sister Elsie. Reginald was working as a grocer’s errand boy.
Sometime in 1916 Reginald joined the Cheshire Regiment becoming 34586 Private Norbury the exact date that he went to France is unknown, however sometime during this period he was transferred to the 14th battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
The battalion war diary for the day Reginald fell reads.
8/1/18 Battalion in front line, about 8:30pm a small hostile party attempted to raid PAN POST throwing two bombs into the post, raiding party withdrew on the lewis gun opening fire. A fighting patrol went out immediately but discovered no trace of the enemy.
It would be a fair assumption that during this German raid Reginald was killed and maybe by one of the two bombs thrown into the post. Reginald is buried at Ration Farm Cemetery, La Chappelle-D’Armentiers, France. IV.B.7
Photograph of Reginald courtesy of Darryl Porrino