Hoye, Claude Cecil

Claude was the eldest son of Albert John and Nellie Augusta (nee Radford) Hoye, born in Ashwell, Hertfordshire on 16 July 1898.  He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.

Claude Cecil enlisted on 20 October 1914 at just 15 years old, with the 4th Bedfordshire Regiment, Regimental Number 266037.  When the Hertfordshire Regiment and Bedfordshire regiments joined forces Claude was transferred to the 1^st Hertfordshire Regiment, keeping is Regimental Number.  They saw active service on the Western Front, France and Flanders, including Ypres.  The 1918 Absent Voters List shows Claude with C Company, 8^th Officers Cadet Battalion.  Claude survived the War.

He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour.

Although his family was living in Ashwell in 1911, there were seven children so Claude lived with his grandfather.

Claude married Ruby Violet Whitelock in Edmonton, Middlesex in the 4^th quarter of 1919. They had one son, Douglas Claude, born on 7 July 1920 in Enfield, Middlesex. The family moved to Hackney, London but by 1923 Violet and Douglas had moved to Enfield while Claude remained in Hackney.  Claude lived the rest of his life in London.

There is a note in his military records of 1921 that suggest he was with the Metropolitan Police.

Claude died in Minster, Sheppey, Kent on 21 January 1975.