Skirman, Benjamin

Benjamin was born on 30 October 1877 at Ashwell, Hertfordshire, the second son of Frederick and Hannah (nee Barlow). He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.

Benjamin enlisted with the Royal Fusiliers, City of London Regiment, 7^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion on 11 December 1915. He served with the Expeditionary Force, Regimental Number 48438, in the Western European Theatre of War, France and Flanders. He fought in the Arras Offensive where he was killed in action on 23 April 1917. He was the last surviving of five sons.

He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, France and the Ashwell Church Roll of Honour.

Before enlisting he was a milkman.

Benjamin married Elizabeth Dubery in St Ann’s Church Tottenham, London on 19 December 1897. They had two sons, Frederick James born in 1898 and Benjamin John born in 1899.

Royston Crow 18 May 1917

France 23 April 1917, Pte Benjamin Skirman, only surviving son of the late Frederick Skirman, Springs Head, leaves a wife and two children.