4th (Reserve) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
Stanley Webb’s story appears to be the all too familiar; one of a young soldier, struck down by illness, whilst in training.
Stanley Webb was born at Leonard Stanley in the second quarter 1899, the son of Frederick William Webb (1865-1944) and his wife Amy Ellen (née Peaple: 1863-1939). The 1901 Census shows Frederick Webb as an agricultural labourer and in that of 1911, an engine driver. Amy Ellen worked as a weaver at a cloth mill in 1911. The couple had sixteen children, of whom twelve were surviving in 1911, with eight still living at home. Stanley, aged 11, was at school. At the time of both these censuses the family home was at The Street, Leonard Stanley but the post war CWGC records indicate that it had moved, after 1911, to Hill Crescent, High Street, Stonehouse.
Unfortunately, no detailed records of Stanley’s army service have survived. The CWGC records indicate that he served with the 4th Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment and this was probably the 4th (Reserve) Battalion, which had previously been a third line, Territorial unit, the 3/4th Hampshires. Whilst Stanley was with them they were in training at Romsey, Sutton Veny and Larkhill, before transferring to Belfast in April 1918.
He has a Medal Rolls Index Card, on which it states that he enlisted on 25 November 1916 and was discharged, due to sickness on 15 June 1918. As he would not have reached his 18th birthday until early 1917 it is probable that he was not actually mobilised until then.
According to the Silver War Badge records he was discharged from the Army, due to sickness on 15 June 1918, aged 19 and had not served abroad. A recently released Pension Record Card confirms the date of discharge and states the cause of death to be tuberculosis (attributable to military service) and pulmonary debility due to influenza.
Private Stanley Webb died on 29 April 1920, aged 21. He was buried in the churchyard of St Swithun, Leonard Stanley and a standard CWGC headstone now marks his grave. He is commemorated on the Leonard Stanley War Memorial.
Researched by Graham Adams 2 June 2021