Reginald Charles Humphries

Story:
Reginald Charles Humphries was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 22nd June 1889, the son of Samuel Humphries and Mary Humphries (nee Young).  He lived all his life, apart from Military Service, in Shaftesbury.  The family home was at 10 Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury. He enlisted on 1st January 1916 and joined the Royal Engineers (Motor Cycle Section) being promoted in time to Corporal (Service No. 148678).  His training as a Motor Cycle Mechanic was useful to the Army and he served in France and Flanders from 14 Jul 1916 with various Troops. Whilst with the 9th Signal Troop was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal given for service in the field as announced in the London Gazette dated 3 Jun 1919.  Following his discharge on 20th February 1919 he was further awarded the Victory and British War medals.  The 1921 Census shows he was living with his parents in the family home working on his own account as a Motor Cycle Mechanic. He married Alice Bertha Mullins at St. John the Baptist Church, Donhead St. Mary with Charlton, Wiltshire, on 26 Dec 1921 and they went on to have one daughter. They set up home at 54B High Steet, Shaftesbury, where they were still residing at the time of the 1939 Register with Reginald still working as a Cycle and Motor Mechanic.   In retirement he was living at 'Ladymede', 41 Lower Blandford Road, Cann, Shaftesbury, when he died at the Westminster Memorial Hospital, Shaftesbury, on 27th June 1960.

Reginald's brother Stanley Frank (b.1896) also served during the war, with the Royal Naval Division.