HOBDEN Dominic, Private 646313, Labour Corps, formerly 57847, 2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment died 9th February 1920 aged 22. He was the son of Dominic and Mary of 20, Lyme Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme. In 1911 aged 13 and still living at 20 Lyme Street, he was an iron mongers errand boy. He is at rest in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Cemetery, Staffordshire. His memorial shows him as Pte 36325 D Hoben, North Staffordshire Regiment. Some notes from what remains of his army record. He joined up on the 11th July 1915 aged 18 years and 1 month as was working as a coalminer He was posted to the Army Reserve as Private 36325 North Staffordshire Regiment. He was mobilised on the 3rd March 1917 and posted to the 14th Training Battalion Reserve. He embarked from Felixstowe on the 6th June 1916 and disembarked at Boulogne, the some day. On the 29th June 1917 he was transferred to the 2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment at Calais as private 57847 and jound them the next day, 30th. Whilst in action he was gassed by a gas shell on the 1st August 1917. He was treated at the 96th Field Ambulance and then transferred to 12th Casualty Clearing Station the same day. On the 7th August 1917 he was being treated at No 1 Canadian General Hospital. He was then transferred from this hospital to England on Hospital Ship Newhaven on the 7th September 1917 and was admitted the same day at No 5, London General Hospital, Lambeth. On the 18th he was transferred to a War Hospital, somewhere in Staffordshire. The 6th June 1918 was now at The King's Lancashire Military Convalescent Hospital, Blackpool. (Formerly Clifton Park Racecourse at Squires Gate, Blackpool. After he was deemed fit for war service he was granted leave from the 30th July 1918 to 8th August 1918 and then to the Regimental depot at Reading. On the 30th August 1918 at Fovant, Wiltshire he was transferred to the Labour Corps as Private 646313. The 17th September 1918 he was transferred to the Army Reserve.
http://www.amounderness.co.uk/king's_lancashire_military_convalescent_hospital.html
I sent an e-mail to the CWGC querying the regiment inscribed on his headstone, which is inscribed North Staffordshire Regiment.
"Thank you for your email of the 3rd April, and let me take this opportunity to apologise for the delay in our response to your enquiry. This is due to the large volume of correspondence we are currently receiving, which I am sure you can appreciate.
Having looked into this case and after consulting with a colleague I believe the headstone to be incorrect and should be inscribed with the Royal Berkshire Regiment details and not the North Staffordshire Rgt. Casualties are commemorated by the regiment that they died whilst serving with and as such it is not uncommon to see the casualty listed under a different regiment to what they joined with.
Having checked our records, apart from the headstone schedule, which ultimately was used for the inscription of the headstone, all indicate that this casualty died whilst serving with the Berkshire Regiment. Please be aware that all of our information was given to us after the war by the relevant service authorities.
In closing I feel it is now appropriate to change the headstone to reflect this, in conjunction with the current online record for this casualty".
