South Wales Borderers
Sydney Venn was born in Gloucester in 1880 and was the son of George Alexander Venn who worked as a dock labourer (1848-1902) and his wife Mary Anne (née Hickman, born 1854).
The couple appear to have had eleven children (three boys and eight girls), of who nine were surviving at the time of the 1911 Census and the family lived at Archdeacon Street, Gloucester.
In early 1901 Sydney married May Weare (born 10 June 1880) in Gloucester and later that year they had a son called Sidney William George. The 1901 Census shows Sydney and May living with her parents at 44 Archdeacon Street and Sidney’s occupation was as a mechanic.
Little is known about Sydney’s life in the early part of the 20th Century. His name does not appear alongside May’s in the 1911 Census. and she and their son were still living with her parents at 44 Archdeacon Street and she was employed as a sack maker. Possibly Sidney was working away?
This may have been in South Wales as Soldiers Died in the Great War (SDGW) records that he enlisted at Newport, Monmouthshire. A report of his death in the Gloucester Journal of 19 October 1918 states that he enlisted in 1914.
Hardly any documentary evidence relating to Sydney’s time in the Army appears to exist. His service record was almost certainly destroyed by enemy action in 1941.
A Medal Roll (at the National Archives) for the South Wales Borderers (SWB) indicates that he first served with the 11th (Service) Battalion (2nd Gwent) and also spent some time with the 6th Battalion, who were Pioneers.
He very likely trained at Colwyn Bay and Winchester before going to France. His Medal Rolls Index Card indicates that he first went to France on ‘4.2.15’ however the date is probably a clerical error and should read ‘4.12.15’, which is that date the 11th SWB joined the British Expeditionary Force.
Examination of the SDGW records indicates that there were no fatalities in the 11th SWB, involving men with service numbers 22300-22399 prior to July 1916.
As part of 115 Brigade, 38 (Welsh) Division the 11th SWB probably had its first experience of battle in July 1916, as part of the Somme Offensive and it suffered many casualties on 7 July when attacking Mametz Wood.
It would appear that Sydney served in the Army until 1918 and fell sick in the autumn of that year and was posted to the strength of the SWB Depot. He died on 14 October 1918, aged 38. A report of his funeral in the Gloucestershire Echo of 22 October 1918 states that he died at Princess Christian Military Hospital, Englefield, Surrey.
He was afforded a semi-military funeral on 21 October, initially at St Mary de Lode Church and thereafter at Gloucester Old Cemetery.
According to a recently released Pension Record Card the cause of death was valvular disease of the heart.
Private Sydney Venn’s grave in Gloucester Old Cemetery is marked by a standard CWGC headstone and he is commemorated on the Gloucester War Memorial.
Research by Graham Adams 12 February 2020