Robert was born on 14 May 1881 at 34 Hatley Rd, Islington, the eldest surviving child of the 12 (of which 5 died when young) born to Robert Melton Armitage (1846-1910) and Ellen Armitage nee Pinnuck (1855-1913). 34 Hatley Rd is a modest two storey terraced house, which still exists. In 1885 the family was still living at 34 Hatley Road. This is the [Click to continue…]

Reginald George Rayment was born on 24th January 1891 at Bengeo in Hertfordshire, England, the seventh and last child of a coachman named Isaac Rayment and his wife Jane Rayment née Knight. Reginald married Ethel Mary Fortnum at St Michael and All Angels Church in Paddington, London on 2nd August 1913 and they then worked together at Hertford [Click to continue…]

Ivan Douglas Scott Orbell, to give him his full name, was born in New Zealand on the 18th July 1889. He was the 9th and youngest child of Henry Orbell and his wife Margaret. Henry was born in Suffolk and emigrated to New Zealand in 1849 with his parents  when he was 18. The family were quite well to do by the 1890s and young Ivan was sent to school [Click to continue…]

Stephen Bertrand Penfold was born in Haywards Heath, Sussex and on leaving school became a carpenter.  He joined the Territorial Army on 20th March 1912 and served with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in France for 62 days before being wounded in his right wrist, most probably in the action at Fromelles.  He was discharged from military service on [Click to continue…]