Rupert Bryant

WWI Roll of Honour

By Lynette Wray

Rupert Bryant

Military History:        

Regiment:                              
American Expeditionary Forces

Rank:                                     
Private

Service Number:                    

Date of Drafting:                   
12.9.1918

Date of death:                        
2.1987

Cemetery/ Memorial:            
Beechwood Cemetery, Kendall, Orleans County, New York, USA

UK Cemetery/Memorial:        

Rupert was drafted into the American Expeditionary Forces in September 1918. He saw active service in the Western European Theatre of War, France and Flanders. He survived the War.

Rupert, still living in America, was drafted again in 1942 at the age of 57 but it is not known if he served in WW2.

He died in Monroe, New York, USA in February 1987 at the age of 102.

Family History:

Date of Birth:               
13.2.1885

Birth Place:                            
Royston, Cambridgeshire

Residence:                    
Monroe, Orange County, New York, USA

Marriage:                     
c1918

Rupert was the second son of Benjamin and Esther (nee Huffer) Bryant, born in Ashwell on 13th February 1885. Although not listed on the Ashwell Roll of Honour he must have been a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell, Hertfordshire, as were his brothers.

On 9th May 1908 Rupert set sail from Southampton aboard the SS St Louis bound for America, listed as son of Mr Bryant of Victoria Cottages, Ashwell. Also on the passenger list was Walter Harradine son of C Harradine of West End, Ashwell. Both are listed as ‘Friend of Mr Waldock’.

Rupert settled near the Canadian border in Monroe County, New York. He started work on the railroads, moved to the highways and by 1925 was a butcher.

He and Mary were already married by the time he was drafted in September 1918.  It is not known what Mary’s maiden name was and the censuses shows her second name as E but her grave shows it as M.  They had one daughter Shirley Ann, born in about 1930.

He died in Monroe, New York, USA in February 1987 at the age of 102.

Sidney’s brothers Arthur, Rupert and Percy all survived the war and returned to Ashwell. Rupert, the second son received a shrapnel wound to his arm and was awarded a wound stripe.  George, the third son, died in the Battle of the Somme on 13th November 1916. It is not known if Stanley survived the war.

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