2nd Lieutenant R G H Yeatherd

Raymond Gilbert Hooker Yeatherd was born in Kensington in 1891, son of Lt. Col. Ernest Walter Yeatherd, The King's Own Royal Regiment, who was killed at the Relief of Ladysmith, and Mabel E. Yeatherd of 31 Montpelier Square, Knightsbridge, London. He was educated at Winchester and Christ Church Oxford.
Michael Mann's history of the regiment tells of the events at the battle of the Somme in 1916: 'On 6 September they were moved forward to the Carnoy valley, bivouacking and seeing tanks for the first time. On 15 September the Bays were ordered forward, and 'A' Squadron under Major Pinching, MC, advanced into a valley south west of Leuze wood. The ground, after the battle, was a wilderness, and two patrols under 2nd Lieutenants Yeatherd and Macnaughten were sent on to maintain contact with the infantry. Yeatherd's patrol came under heavy fire as it advanced dismounted, every member being wounded, and Yeatherd himself missing. One of the wounded died the next day and Yeatherd's body was discovered a week later. Major Pinching was also wounded during this action.'
He was 25 at the time of his death on 15 Sep 1916. His grave is unknown. His elder brother Captain Montagu Locke Yeatherd, Royal Lancers, died aged 33 on 11 April 1917 and is buried at Wancourt British Cemetery. Raymond and Montagu, the only sons of Ernest Walker Yeatherd are commemorated on the Yeatherd Tomb in Hertingfordbury.

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