Rushden Research Group: Samuel Colburn 1914

Private Samuel Colburn

7009 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment

Son of Mr George and Mrs Maria Colburn

Aged 29 years

Died 31st October 1914

Commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
Panel 43 and 45
And in Rushden Cemetery
Grave E.1326

Born at Northampton.
Regular soldier, served in India before WWI.

Memorial courtesy of
Mark Hollis, 2014

The photo above of Samuel Colburn’s ‘penny’ has been sent in by Wendy (Australia), who tells us that the forgotten ‘penny’ was found about 30 years ago on a beam under the house of her Grandparents home in Queensland.

Wendy’s Grandmother, Kate (born Rushden), was one of Samuel’s younger sisters and she emigrated with her husband and their son Charles, in about 1920 to Australia taking the ‘penny’ with them.

The penny was in it’s hiding place, on that beam under the house, from perhaps 1920 until 1976 when Kate died and the house was being cleared out and no family member had even been aware of it’s existence.

Evening Telegraph, Wednesday, 11th November 1914, transcribed by John Collins.

Killed in Action

We are deeply sorry to learn of the reported death of Lance-Corpl. S. Colborn, of the 1st Battalion Northants Regt., son of Mr. Colborn, of Cromwell-road, Rushden. We understand a comrade has written home from France saying that Lance-Corpl. “Sam” Colborn has met a hero’s death in the fighting line on October 31st. The deceased has served 12 years in the Army. Four years he was in the Reserves, three years in South Africa, and four years in India. Up to the present no official intimation has been received of the soldier’s death.

The Rushden Echo, 13th November 1914, transcribed by Jim Hollis.

Rushden Soldier Killed - An Unofficial Intimation - Lance-Corpl. S. Colburn Mortally Wounded

To Rushden’s roll of honour must be added the name of Samuel Colburn, a Lance-Corporal in the Northants Regiment, and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Colburn, of 37, Cromwell-road, Rushden.

News came to his friends on Tuesday that Lance-Corpl. Colburn was killed in Belgium on Oct. 31st. the letter was written by his chum, who saw him go down. It is a fortnight since Lance- Corpl. Colburn wrote home, and that letter was a long time coming. He had, however, previously kept his parents and friends well supplied with news.

Mrs. Colburn, mother of the Lance-Corporal, at once wrote to the War Office to ask for confirmation or otherwise of the reported death.

The deceased had served in India for a number of years and was called up for service in the present war on Tuesday, Aug. 3rd. a photo of him appears in this issue.

The letter announcing the death of Lance-Corpl. Colburn is as follows:- “I am sorry to tell you that your poor son got killed while fighting on Oct. 31. Will you kindly let his wife know, as I feel so sorry? I think it best for someone to break the news to her, as I suppose it will be a long time before she gets an official report of his death. Yours sincerely, J. Good.”

We learn that the writer of the above letter is the Sergt. Major of the regiment to which the deceased belonged, so the information is in all probability very reliable.

Up to the time of going to press the War Office had not replied to Mrs. Colburn’s inquiry.

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