Herbert Henry Rugman
Memorial: Thornbury - St Mary's Church
Regiment: Royal Field Artillery
Medals: British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Driver 249520
Parents: John and Ellen Rugman
Home address: Gillingstool Hill, Thornbury, Bristol
Pre-war occupation: Worker at the sawmills in Thornbury
Date of birth: 14/01/1896
Place of birth: Thornbury, Bristol
Date of death: 27/09/1918
Buried/Commemorated at: Vis-en-Artois Memorial (Panel 3 and 4.); Thornbury United Reformed Church Memorial Tablet
Age: 22
Further information:
Bronze Tablet and Wooden Memorial Board
Herbert Henry Rugman, known as Harry, was born in Thornbury, his birth being registered in the March quarter of 1896. His father John was a general labourer. Harry had a half brother and five brothers. The family lived at various times in Chapel Street and Rock Street but by 1911 Harry was living with his mother Ellen, a charwoman, at Gillingstool. Aged 15 he was working as a general labourer at the sawmills in Thornbury. It is possible that his father may have been lodging and working at a farm at Stroud Common in Alveston
Harry enlisted in Bristol. According to the local newspaper he joined the Royal Field Artillery in January 1918, trained at Devonport and then was sent to France on 6th March. Although the memorial describes him as a Gunner, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that Harry was a Driver in ‘D’ Battery 5th Brigade. Drivers were in charge of a team of up to six horses, which pulled field artillery to areas of fighting. Most drivers were able to perform the duties of a gunner when required
In September 1918 the Allied Armies were attacking the Germans, attempting to break through the Hindenburg line. Harry was killed in action and has no known grave. He is remembered on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, which bears the names of over 9,000 men from the forces of Great Britain, Ireland and South Africa who fell in the period from 8th August 1918 to the date of the Armistice, on 11th November, in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois and who have no known grave
The Gazette reported that, during his employment at the sawmills, Harry won the appreciation of his employer, Mr Edmund Cullimore, and the respect of his fellow employees. At the time of his death three of Harry’s brothers were still on active service
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
Thornbury Roots Website. Thornbury and District Museum Research Group. Forces War Records and the CWGC