L Sayer…………………………….Private
Name: SAYER, LEWIS
Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Norfolk Regiment Unit Text: 1st Bn.
Age: 22 Date of Death: 04/09/1916 Service No: 43333
Additional information: Son of Lewis John and Emily Sayer, of 38, Bury St., Norwich. Grave/Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 1 C and 1 D. Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=811410
Private Sayer can be seen here
norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...
The accompanying notes read
“Private Sayer was born at 178, Newmarket Street, Norwich, on 25th June 1894. He was educated at Avenue Road School. In September 1914 he enlisted, and was killed in action on the Somme on 4th September 1916”
There is no Lewis Sayer of the right age appearing on the 1901 census, however, there is a 7 year old Louis Sayer from Norwich recorded as resident in the Norwich Isolation Hospital.
Parents “Louis E” and Emily J were living at 38 Bury Street. Louis was a 32 year old Post Office stamper, originally from Bergh Apton. Emily was also 32, and came originally from Costessey.
The battalion's attack on Falfemont Farm on this day turned into one of the mini-tragedies of the Great War. The attack was held up and casualties were being caused by bombing and small arms fire before they eventually took the objective only to come under friendly artillery fire that caused serious casualties. According to the Regimental casualty book 56 all ranks were killed, 219 wounded and 94 missing, believed killed, a total of 369. The battalion was relieved the next day.
1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t...
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C C Sennitt………………………………2nd Lieutenant
Name: SENNITT, CLAUDE CUSHING
Rank: Sub-Lieutenant
Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: Hood Bn. R.N. Div.
Age: 25 Date of Death: 23/04/1917
Additional information: Son of Ebenezer Charles and Sarah Ann Sennitt, of 422, Unthank Rd., Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: VI. C. 9. Cemetery: AUBIGNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=996418
Sub.Lt Sennitt can be seen here
norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...
The accompanying notes read
“Sub-Lieutenant Sennitt was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Sennitt of Brundall. He left for the front at the beginning of April 1917 and died on the front on 23rd April 1917.”
The attack on Gavrelle was commenced on 23 April and was carried out by the 189th and 190th Brigades. At 4.45 a.m. Nelson and Drake battalions went over the top under cover of an artillery barrage. The first line of German trenches was quickly taken, and an hour later the attack was ceased at the edge of the village.
The artillery barrage was relocated across the village, which was reduced to rubble. Other battalions from the brigade were moved forward. House to house fighting led to the taking of Gavrelle, at the cost of 1,500 casualties.
The fighting at Gavrelle had claimed 3,000 casualties from the Royal Naval Division. Virtually all the remaining reservists of the original Royal Naval Division lost their lives at Gavrelle. They were the veterans who had survived the fighting at Gallipoli and at the Ancre.
www.wereldoorlog1418.nl/RND-Royal-Naval-Division/index.html
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W H Shearing…………………………..Private
Most likely,
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1466122
Name: SHEARING, WILLIAM
Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Norfolk Regiment Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Date of Death: 04/10/1918 Service No: 15527
Additional information: Buried in Bangalore (Hosur Road) Cemetery.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Face 9. Memorial: MADRAS 1914-1918 WAR MEMORIAL, CHENNAI
But could be
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=143185
No match on Norlink.
The 2nd Battalion served in Mesopotamia so I can only assume had been evacuated for medical treatment.
The most likely match on the 1901 Census is an 11 year old who was born in Norwich and who at the time of the census was living at 2 Rupert Street, Norwich, with his parents, William, (aged 44 and a fishmonger from Gt Yarmouth) and Maria, (aged 42 and a shop-keeper from Norwich). Also resident were siblings, Albert, (aged 6), Ernest, (aged 4), Florence, (aged 13), and Maria, (aged 9).
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S W Sheen………………………………..Private
Name: SHEEN, SYDNEY
Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Royal Army Medical Corps Unit Text: 88th Field Amb Age: 21 Date of Death: 12/07/1917 Service No: 475077
Additional information: Son of William Sheen, of 20, Dover St., Unthank Rd., Norwich. Grave/Memorial Reference: I. C. 8. Cemetery: CANADA FARM CEMETERY
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=436116
No match on Norlink
The 1901 Census has only one Sydney Sheen, who was born and was still resident in Glamorganshire. However, there is a Sidney W. Sheen, born Norwich and resident at 85 Gloucester Street, Norwich, with his parents, William (age 30, from Norwich and described as what looks like Yard Foreman \ Packer on the scan of the original document, or “Florence Packer” according to Genes Re-united !) and Alice, (age 29 and from Norwich). Sidney’s sisters Kathleen D. (age 6) and Ethel M, (age 2) completed the household.
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W C Skoulding………………………….Corporal..MM
Name: SKOULDING, WILLIAM CHARLES
Rank: Lance Corporal Regiment: Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Unit Text: "D" Coy. 10th Bn.
Age: 23 Date of Death: 26/04/1917 Service No: 19593 Awards: M M
Additional information: Son of Harry 0. Skoulding and Emily E. Skoulding, of 8, Leopold Rd., Unthank Rd., Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Bay 6. Memorial: ARRAS MEMORIAL
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1653225
Private Skoulding can be seen here
norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...
The accompanying notes read
“Private Skoulding was born at Bluebell Road, Eaton, Norwich, on 18th January 1895. He was educated at the Eaton and the Model schools in Norwich. On 2nd May 1915 he enlisted, and killed in action near Arras on 23rd April 1917”
William gets a mention on the Roll Of Honour for the Norwich Boys Model School
www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/NorwichBoysModelSchool.html
The 10th Cameronians had been engaged a few days earlier in the second Battle of the Scarpe, (part of the bigger Battle of Arras) but this had been called of in the face of heavy casualties and fierce resistance.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Arras_(1917)
There is no obvious match for William or his parents on the 1901 Census.
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D C Smith……………………………….....2nd Lieutenant
Name: SMITH, DONALD CLAUDE
Rank: Second Lieutenant Regiment/Service: Suffolk Regiment Unit Text: 7th Bn.
Age: 30 Date of Death: 13/10/1915
Additional information: Son of the late Edwin and Mary Smith. Prior to taking a commission was despatch rider with Indian Cavalry Corps.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 37 and 38. Memorial: LOOS MEMORIAL
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1769178
2nd Lt Smith can be seen here
norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...
The accompanying notes read
“Second-Lieutenant Smith was the seventh son of Edwin and Mary Smith. He was born 29th July 1885. He joined the 6th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment on the outbreak of war and went to France in October 1914. He was given a commission in September 1915 and attached to the 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. He died of wounds in France, 1915.”
This was obviously not a good day to be a junior officer in this Battalion - for on the same day Captain Charles Sorley was killed by a sniper during the Battle of Loos. Charles has been acclaimed as one of the great war poets on the basis of his work, which was published posthumously.
www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8752194
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Sorley
During the Battle of Loos in an attempt to strike before the winter rains set in, the British attempted a final offensive on October 13, which failed due to a lack of hand grenades.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Loos
The 12th Division (of which 7th Suffolks were part) were involved in attacks on the Hohenzollern Redoubt in early October and are usually described as being involved in the attack on the 13th. However it was the 46th Midlands Division that was virtually wiped out in the attack on the Redoubt on this day - 7th Suffolks according to at least one account were in an attack on the nearby Quarries in support of the attack on the Redoubt.
battlefields1418.50megs.com/loos_tour.htm
yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=46th...
There are two main candidates on the 1901 Census - a 15 year old born in Norwich and a 17 year old born in Wymondham. However the 15 year old is in an orphanage \ boys home and the 17 year old is a “boy” soldier, currently garrisoned in Colchester. Therefore it is possible Donald is either one of the others of the right age, of which at least four are boarders or possibly not on the Census for England and Wales at all.
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R Spicer…………………………2nd Lieutenant
Name: SPICER, RONALD MURRAY
Rank: Second Lieutenant Regiment/Service: East Riding Yeomanry
Age: 19 Date of Death: 31/05/1916
Additional information: Son of Robert Charles and Lizzie Hannah Spicer, of Eaton Hill, Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: H. 1/1377. Cemetery: NORWICH (THE ROSARY) CEMETERY
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2803383
No match on Norlink
There is a small picture of Lt Spicer and a note that he was killed accidentally, here
www.aviva.com/index.asp?pageid=1435&letter=s
On the 1901 Census, the 4 year old Ronald Murray Spicer was living at 115 Magdalen Road, Norwich. This was the household of his parents Robert Charles Spicer, a 28 year old Chartered Accountants Clerk from Norwich, and Lizzie Hannah Spicer, 29 and from Scotland. The Spicer’s have one live in servant.
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P J Stone………………………..Lance Corporal
Name: STONE, PERCIVAL JAMES
Rank: Lance Corporal Regiment/Service: Norfolk Regiment Unit Text: 8th Bn.
Age: 21 Date of Death: 01/07/1916 Service No: 15686
Additional information: Son of Mrs. E. E. Stone, of 28, Eaton St., Eaton, Norwich. Grave/Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 1 C and 1 D. Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1554836
No match on Norlink
The 1901 Census has a 6 year old Percival Stone who was born at Intwood, and who was now living at The Common, Swardeston. This was the household of his parents, James, a 33 year old Bricklayer from London, and Edith, 26 and from East Dereham. Also resident is Percivals sister Daisy, (aged 4) and Gladys, (aged 2)
The 6th Battalion, Royal Berks went over the top alongside the 8th Norfolks on the first day of the Somme. The story of what happened to the two units can be read here,
www.6throyalberks.co.uk/1stJuly/default.html
France
The 8th Battalion as part of the 18th (Eastern) Division was present on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916. They got beyond their initial target and had by 5.00pm reached the German trenches known as "Montauban Alley". Over one hundred men and three officers had been killed.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Norfolk_Regiment
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W Stone………………………..2nd Lieutenant… MM
Name: STONE, WILLIAM
Rank: Second Lieutenant Regiment/Service: Norfolk Regiment Unit Text: 12th Bn.
Age: 33 Date of Death: 18/08/1918 Awards: M M
Additional information: Son of Mr. F. A. and Deborah Stone, of Norwich. Husband of Mrs. M. Stone, of 1, Bury Street, Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 1. Row F. Grave 1. Cemetery: LE GRAND HASARD MILITARY CEMETERY, MORBECQUE
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=68748
No match on Norlink
There are 104 potential William Stones on the Census for England & Wales born between 1884 and 1886. Only one is from Norwich, but other family names don’t match. No other obvious Norfolk connections.
Outtersteene was captured by the III Corps on the 13th October, 1914.The hamlet was captured by the Germans on the 12th April, 1918, and retaken by the 9th, 29th and 31st Divisions, with the ridge beyond it, on the 18th and 19th August;
(12th Norfolks were part of the 31st Division)
www.webmatters.net/cwgc/outtersteene_com.htm
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C A Thompson…………………Lieutenant
Possibly
Name: THOMPSON, CYPRIAN ALFRED
Rank: Lieutenant Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Regiment Unit Text: "D" Coy.
Age: 22 Date of Death: 08/04/1917
Additional information: Son of Alice G. C. and the late Herbert H. Thompson, of England.
Grave/Memorial Reference: V. E. 9. Cemetery: ECOIVRES MILITARY CEMETERY, MONT-ST. ELOI
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=66234
No match on Norlink
No obvious match on the 1901 Census for either Cyprian or Alice Thompson.
The Canadian Archives have him down as born on the 18/04/1893 and his regimental number is 23071
On his attestation papers he gives his occupation as Bank Clerk and place of birth as Halifax, Nova Scotia. The scanned version is poor, but Lt Thompson is definitely not married and his next of kin looks like a Mrs A Thompson at an indecipherable address in Canada. However, I later found he was commemorated on the war memorial at Frederiction in Canada, and that could definitely be part of the address.
He had already served 2+ years in the Territorials and enlisted on the 27th September 1914. On the medical part of the form he is described as 5ft 10 ins tall, with fair hair and fair complexion and light blue eyes.
collectionscanada.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.02-e.php?im...
collectionscanada.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.02-e.php?im...
From a handwritten note on the attestation papers it looks like he was initially assigned to the Machine Gun detachment of the 12th Battalion.
A small picture of Lt Thompson can be seen here.
www.kingandempire.com/v_time4.html
The accompanying notes read :”On April 8, 1917, he was killed in the Vimy sector during an operation carried out preparatory to the main attack on Vimy Ridge. “
Extract from the unit war diary
9.4.17. - QUARRIES LINE.
See appendix No. 3. Lieuts. THOMPSON, BLOTT, CHURCHILL, BOLE, BECK, and ROOKS were Killed in Action. Lieuts. BARKER, DAVIES, Captain MUNN, Lieuts. GRAY, ROBINSON and LEWIS were Wounded in Action. The following numbers of Other Ranks were casualties. Killed in Action 50, Wounded in Action 159, Missing 65. It is presumed that the majority of missing will be found in Field Ambulance or will return from Other Units.
Lieut. FOSTER wounded, at duty.
regimentalrogue.com/rcr_great_war/1917_04_apr.html
Service:
Prior service; 2 years 6 months, 38th Dufferin Rifles, Brantford, Ontario
Attested for overseas service in the ranks 27 Sep 1914, regimental number 23071
Private., Aug 1914 to 21 Aug 1916
Machine Gunner, 12th Canadian Infantry Battalion
Appointed Lieut., 22 Aug 1916
Posted to The R.C.R., 27 Nov 1916
Killed in action, 8 Apr 1917
The same source notes he was wounded with shell-shock, 19-1-15 whilst serving with the 4th Battalion.
regimentalrogue.com/rcr_great_war_officers/rcr_offr_thomp...
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S J Tillyard…………………………….2nd Lieutenant
Name: TILLYARD, SYDNEY JOSEPH
Rank: Second Lieutenant Regiment: Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) Unit Text: 35th Coy. Age: 34 Date of Death: 02/03/1916
Additional information: Son of John Joseph and Mary Ann Frances Tillyard, of Thorpe, Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. F. 9. Cemetery: VERMELLES BRITISH CEMETERY
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=252636
No match on Norlink
The 1901 Census has the 19 year old Sydney J. living at 43 Thorpe Road, Norwich. This was the household of Jno(?).J.Tillyard, aged 59 and from Norwich, living on own means, and Mary A Falso from Norwich and aged 49. In the household are Sydney’s brothers Frederick E, (aged 16), Godfrey C, (aged 18) and Robert J, (aged 20). The Tillyards had one live in domestic servant.
The 35th had only formed on the 1st February 1916 and had been attached to the 12th (E.astern) Division.
A plan was evolved that required 4 mines to be blown under the enemy positions, which would be followed by an infantry assault aimed at capturing the enemy front trench called "The Chord". 36th Brigade made the attack after 170 Tunnelling Company RE detonated the mines at 5.45pm on 2 March 1916, successfully capturing the craters and gaining important observation over enemy lines as far as Fosse 8. Severe fighting in the crater area continued for some weeks, with the Division suffering more than 4000 casualties until being finally relieved on 26 April.
www.1914-1918.net/12div.htm
Sydney also gets a mention on the Hornsby New South Wales Australia War Memorial. The connection is his brother, Robert J, who is now Doctor Robert John Tillyard, resident in Hornsby and founding member of the War Memorial Committee.
www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/library/index.cfm?NavigationID=2231
(Brother Robert can be seen here)
www.scienceimage.csiro.au/index.cfm?event=site.image.deta...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_John_Tillyard
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W E Upton………………………….Lieutenant
Possibly
Name: UPTON, WILLIAM EDWIN
Rank: Lieutenant (Quartermaster) Regiment/Service: Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Unit Text: 19th Bn.
Age: 51 Date of Death: 05/03/1916
Additional information: Son of the late Edwin and Emma Upton, of Halesworth, Suffolk; husband of Jane Ann Upton.
Grave/Memorial Reference: 46. 981. Cemetery: NORWICH CEMETERY, Norfolk
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2803344
No match on Norlink
The 1901 Census has Permanent Staff Sergeant William Upton, aged 36 and from Halesworth in Suffolk, living with his wife Jane A, (age 33 and from Eppleworth in Yorkshire) at 118 Welbeck Street, Kingston upon Hull. The Upton’s had a 5 year old daughter, Elsie, whose place of birth is given as Pembroke Docks, Pembrokeshire. The high-level search on the 1911 Census site indicates that this individual was still living in the same area of Hull. Therefore, no obvious link with Norwich other than his final resting place.
Update 9th July 2020
See comment below.
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S S Wainwright……………..Lieutenant
Name: WAINWRIGHT, SAMUEL STEWART
Rank: Lieutenant Regiment/Service: Norfolk Regiment Unit Text: 6th Bn.
Age: 27 Date of Death: 12/03/1917
Additional information: Son of Samuel and Jessie Wainwright, of 97, Newmarket Rd., Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: VI. C. I. Cemetery: REGINA TRENCH CEMETERY, GRANDCOURT
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=235511
No match on Norlink although there is a picture of a Samuel Wainwright, born 1857 died 1927 who could possibly be Lt Wainwrights father.
The 1901 Census doesn’t obviously have a Samuel S Wainwright of the right age. His parents were by then living at 97 Newmarket Road, Norwich. His father Samuel was aged 44 and from Ipswich, described as a “Colonial Merchant”, and his mother Jessie was aged 33 and from Camberwell in London. The Wainwrights had three live in servants.
The 1/6th, 2/6th and 3/6th all remained in the UK for the duration, so I can only assume that Lt Wainwright was serving with another unit on secondment.
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S R Walker……………………………Private
Name: WALKER, SAMUEL REID
Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Royal Scots Unit Text: 9th Bn.
Age: 22 Date of Death: 27/04/1915 Service No: 1876
Additional information: Son of John and Jane Walker, of 15, Camberley Rd., Norwich. Grave/Memorial Reference: I. B. 27. Cemetery: BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION (NORD)
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=202035
Private Walker can be seen here.
norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...
The accompanying notes
“Born at St. Martin-at-Oak, Norwich in 1983, enlisted 6th August 1914. He died 27th April 1915 from wounds received four days previously during the Second Battle of Ypres. Buried in Bailleul Cemetery, France. “
The 1901 Census has the 8 year old Samuel R. living at 99 Newmarket Road, Norwich. This was the household of his parents John Walker, aged 56 and a retired Draper from Scotland and Jane Walker, aged 50 and from Norwich. Also resident were Samuel’s sisters, Ellen M, (aged 20 and from East Dereham), Florence, (aged 21 and also from East Dereham), Jean (aged 22, ditto), Margaret J, (aged 11 and from Norwich), and brothers Murray Mac Walker, (aged 17, an Insurance Clerk, born East Dereham),and Ronald J, (aged 14 and from Norwich).
