(1900-1916)  "A Good Soldier"

Born Valentines Day 14th February, Valentine, the son of Jesse strudwick and Louisa Fuller, a young man from Dorking, Surrey who un-be-known to him, made a place in history. At the age of 14yrs. and 11 months Valentine, ran away in January 1915 to join the army. Remember, this was during the 1st World War. His mother was very anxious and would have preferred him not to have gone. Valentine though would have none of it. Because he was tall and strong he managed to conceal his true age from the recruitment office at Lambeth. Records show it was at this time he dropped his first name and used his second name of Joe from now on... After 6 weeks training, Joe joined his regiment the 8th Bn.Rifle Brigade on the western front and, immediately, found himself in the thick of it. Shortly after his arrival, two of his pals near by were instantly killed. Joe, who was badly shocked and suffering from gas poisoning, was sent home to hospital at Sheerness to recover. After 3 months he returned to his regiment in France. A week after his return to the front, his mother received a letter from Joe's commanding officer, informing her that her son Joe, had been killed by an exploding shell. This was on Friday 14th January 1916...One of the youngest battle casualties of the war and hence Joe's place in history. He was carried by his comrades to a little cemetery behind the lines, which today is known as Essex Farm Cemetery, Ieper,West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. His commanding officer said, Rifleman Strudwick, had earned the goodwill and respect of his comrades and of his officers, and we are sorry to loose so good a soldier. .   

  ESSEX FARM CEMETERY MAY, 2002

 Joe's head stone and grave, the most visited in the cemetery    

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