No.9278, Corporal, Maurice Reginald Algernon GREENACRE
Aged 24
|
Morris George Algee Greenacre was born on 16th January 1894 (Mildenhall Q1-1894 4A:804 ) to Emma GREENACRE, a dressmaker from West Row.
"Soldier Died" has him born in Cavenham. Possibly she married George WATTS in 1897. Post 1891 there has been little found about George WATTS or Emma
GREENACRE
1901 census...Aged 7, he was at Beck Row Road, Mildenhall with his uncle and aunt, Thomas and Jane WATTS (CWGC have them as adopted parents). Thomas [52] was a gardener; Jane (née ABREY?) [49]; cousins Albert WATTS [15] errand boy and Henrietta [11] and Thomas WATTS' grand-daughter Jane MOORE [4]. All recorded as born in Mildenhall. 1911 census...Aged 17, he was under gardener at The Hall, Barton Mills for the Ireland family, he is now recorded as born in Barton Mills. His uncle and aunt were still at Beck Row Road, Mildenhall with their son Albert (hairdresser) now recorded as born in Sinnington, Yorkshire, and daughter Henrietta who had married Frederick SEAGER. The Army Register of soldier's personal effects has Jane WATTS as his Aunt and his sole legatee. No pension card has been found. |
|
Maurice enlisted in Bury St Edmunds. The 11th Suffolk were often referred to as the Cambridgeshire Suffolks since when recruiting began in 1914 there were so many volunteers that the Depot at Bury St Edmunds was overwhelmed and a camp was set up on Cambridge to take in the men from the Fens who began to be known as the Cambridgeshires. There was a Cambridgeshire Regiment a single battalion of Territorials initially so there was some confusion and the new unit was officially named the 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. The battalion were in the attack from Arras on 9th April 1917 in the first battle of the Scarpe. 9th April..Barrage commenced. 16th Royal Scots on right. Advanced to attack first German trench. 5:50 a.m. Message received saying attack going well. Prisoners in large numbers. 6:05 a.m. O.C. "C" company - German 2nd line reached. Only slight casualties. 6:30 a.m. Enemy barrage on communication trench with 5.9s. 7:00 a.m. Black line captured. Report from O.C. "A" company. No casualties. 8:10 a.m. Bn HQ moves forward into no mans land in the vicinity of Kate Crater. Held up by enemy barrage. HQ established in dugout in German 2nd line. 2 officers and 8 other ranks. 8:45 a.m. 20 German prisoners captured by 10 men. Germans showed no will to fight. 9:30 a.m. Bn HQ moved to Blue line. End of attack. "C" company below the Bois de la Maison Blanche. "B" and "D" coy's forward in the railway cutting. Digging trench 50 yards in front of the railway. "A" co in sunken road at the western end of the valley. Bn HQ in a German dugout. Conference held with O.C. of 10th Lincolns & O.C. of 16th Royal Scots. Noon. Consolidation. CWGC have 24 killed in the 11th Suffolks. In 2001 20 men of the 10th Lincolns were found arm in arm in a grave discovered when a new BMW factory was being built near Arras. These, the Grimsby Pals, had followed the Suffolks into action on the 9th April 1917.
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
