Veterinary Virtual War MemorialFirst World War veterinary services memorial1914–1918 and service-related deaths afterwards
All men / Samuel BATTERSBY

British Army Veterinary Corps

Samuel BATTERSBY

Shoeing Smith

Other ranks

Died 25 October 1918 · Aged 36

Photograph identified as Samuel Battersby in the published family history

His story

Samuel Battersby’s working life moved between civilian trades and the Army. Born at Tyldesley, Lancashire, on 22 December 1881, he worked as a wheelwright before becoming a shoeing smith with the 7th Hussars in South Africa by 1901. He received the Queen’s and King’s South Africa Medals, then returned to a civilian life in Tyldesley.

By 1911 he lived with his mother and siblings and worked as a colliery labourer. In 1914 he married Janey Grundy. Their son Norman was born that year. The photograph below shows Samuel and Janey with their infant son. Norman died in 1916.

Samuel returned to Army service during the First World War. His medal index card records his first theatre entry on 29 May 1915, with the Army Service Corps. He later served as a shoeing smith with the 23rd Field Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps.

He died on 25 October 1918, aged thirty-six, and was buried at Ramleh War Cemetery.

Photographs and documents

Samuel and Janey Battersby with their infant son Norman, identified by the published family history. Photograph supplied by Graham Hodgkins, 12 October 2026.
Samuel and Janey Battersby with their infant son Norman, identified by the published family history. Photograph supplied by Graham Hodgkins, 12 October 2026.
Samuel and Janey Battersby with their son Norman, as identified by the family history. Source — Shed girl's family history tales, The Battersby Bunch, 15 June 2025.
Samuel and Janey Battersby with their son Norman, as identified by the family history. Source — Shed girl's family history tales, The Battersby Bunch, 15 June 2025.
Medal index card for Samuel Battersby, showing AVC SE/26261 and Army Service Corps T2/SR/0395. Reproduced in the family history cited above. Select the image to enlarge.
Medal index card for Samuel Battersby, showing AVC SE/26261 and Army Service Corps T2/SR/0395. Reproduced in the family history cited above. Select the image to enlarge.

Before the war

Date of birth
22 December 1881
Place of birth
Tyldesley, Lancashire
Occupation
Wheelwright in youth; shoeing smith in the Army; colliery labourer by 1911
Family
Husband of Janey Battersby, née Grundy; their son Norman died in infancy

Military service

Rank recorded
Shoeing Smith
Service number
SE/26261
Corps or service
British Army Veterinary Corps
Unit
23rd Field Veterinary Section
Earlier service
7th Hussars; Army Service Corps (T2/SR/0395 on medal index card)

Medals and commemoration

  • 1914–15 Star — medal index card, AVC SE/26261
  • British War Medal — medal index card, AVC SE/26261
  • Victory Medal — medal index card, AVC SE/26261

Death and burial

Date of death
25 October 1918
Age
36
Cemetery or memorial
Ramleh War Cemetery
Grave reference
BB. 29.

Connected men

Sources and further reading

Cite this biography

Graham Hodgkins and Pete Matthews, “Samuel Battersby”, Veterinary Virtual War Memorial, https://vetsremembered.org/people/battersby-samuel-se-26261/.

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