Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Charles Cave, a hosiery trade warper, born on the 19th January 1846 in St. Giles without Cripplegate, Middlesex and baptised on the 3rd June 1846 in St. Giles’s Church, Cripplegate (son of William Freestone Cave, 1825-1892 and Harriett Calow, 1826-1884) and his wife Mary Ann Cave (nee King, married on the 15th October 1865 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Leicester), a hosiery trade warper, born on the 23rd October 1844 in Leicester (daughter of Thomas King, 1806 and Sarah Hudson, 1807). Horace was born on the 26th May 1879 in Leicester and baptised on the 29th August 1880 in St. Mark’s Church, Leicester, his siblings were, Charles, a shoe trade finisher, born in the April quarter of 1866 and baptised on the 2nd August 1874 in St. Mark’s Church, Leicester, John Freestone, a hosiery trade winder, born in the January quarter of 1870 and baptised on the 2nd August 1874 in St. Mark’s Church, Leicester, Harry, a schoolboy, born in the April quarter of 1871 and baptised on the 2nd August 1874 in St. Mark’s Church, Leicester, Elizabeth Ada, a schoolgirl, born on the 20th May 1873 and baptised on the 2nd August 1874 in St. Mark’s Church, Leicester and Harriett, a schoolgirl, born on the 10th November 1874 and baptised on the 7th June 1877 in St. Mark’s Church, Leicester, all his siblings were born in Leicester, also residing with the family was a niece, Sarah Ann King, a hosiery trade winder, born 1864 in Leicester, in April 1881 the family home was at 26, Painter Street, St. Margaret’s, Leicester.
In April 1891 Horace was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at 26, Painter Street, St. Margaret’s, Leicester, together with his father, a hosiery trade worker, his mother and siblings, John, a hosiery trade worker and Sarah, a hosiery trade worker, also residing with the family was a niece, Lucy Latham, a schoolgirl, born 1879 in Leicester.
Horace’s father died aged 54 years in March 1900, at 52, Upper Brunswick Street, Leicester, and was interred on the 29th March in Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester.
Horace married Sarah Ann Hunt on the 29th August 1903 in the Church of St. Mary de Castro, Leicester, Sarah was born on the 21st April 1880 in Leicester and baptised on the 5th May 1880 in St. Matthew’s Church, Leicester (daughter of William Hunt, 1855 and Sarah Anne Deacon, 1846).
FAMILY NOTE: No record can be found of Horace in the census records for 1901 and 1911, an assumption is that given his rank in 1919 of Warrant Officer Class II, he could have been serving overseas as a Regular soldier.
Horace also had an older sibling, Sarah Ann, born in the January quarter of 1868 in Leicester and baptised on the 2nd August 1874 in St. Mark’s Church, Leicester.
Horace enlisted/attested into the Militia on the 10th July 1896 in Leicester, and was allotted the regimental service number 5954. He gave his place of birth as St. Margaret’s, Leicester and age as 18 years 1 month. His marital status was given as unmarried and his trade or calling as clicker, presently in the employ of Mr. A. Scannell, Boot Manufacturers, Charles Street, Leicester. He gave his present address as 30, Painter Street, Belgrave Road, St. Margaret’s, Leicester.
His description on enlistment recorded his apparent age as 18 years 1 month, height 5-feet 6¼ inches weight 115 lbs, chest measurement of between 32½ and 34 inches his complexion was described as fresh, he had grey eyes and his hair colour was fair. The following distinctive marks were noted, large scar base of right thumb. He gave his religion as Church of England.
He was certified as fit for the Militia. Date 10th July 1896. Place Leicester.
The compilation of events that occurred during his period of military service are taken from the following sources: - Statement of the Services of.
Attested. At Leicester. 10/7/96
Joined. Depot Leicestershire Regt. Pte. 10/7/96.
Posted. To 3rd Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Pte. 10/7/96.
Commenced 49 days drill training. 10/7/96.
Transferred. To the Regular Army, Leicestershire Regt. 27/8/96.
MILITARY NOTES:
Horace’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards and the WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards.
Enlisted/Attested into the Regular Army. Place and date not known.
Joined. At place and date not known.
Posted. To Unit and date not known.
Transferred. To Tank Corps.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 95630.
First entered the theatre of war in France after the 31st December 1915.
Attained the rank of Warrant Officer Class II (Company Sergeant Major). Dates of promotion not known.
Demobilised. 1/3/19.
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Horace was awarded a weekly Army Pension on the 2nd March 1919, for the disability of internal derangement of his right knee which was attributed to his military service.
Died from valvular disease of the heart. 16/8/20.
Horace’s widow Sarah Ann, of 54, Countesthorpe Road, Wigston, Leicester applied for an Army Dependant’s Pension on the 1st September 1920, this was refused on the 27th May 1921 on the grounds that the disease was contracted after discharge.
[recognitum XIII-II-MMXXIV]