No.13804, Private, Fred PALMER
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Fred Palmer was born in Icklingham (Mildenhall Q3-1895 4A:809) son of Frederick R and Georgina PALMER (née COLLINS).
1901 census...Aged 5, he was at Berners Cottage, High Street, Icklingham with his father Frederick R Palmer [33] farm labourer born Eriswell; his mother Georgina [32]; brother Arthur [6]and sister Ellen [3]. No place of birth is recorded except for his father. 1911 census...Aged 15, farm labourer, he was at West Street, Icklingham with his parents; brothers Arthur (cowman) and Joseph [4]; sisters Ellen, Priscilla [8] and Ruth [2]. All the family except Fred senior are now recorded as born in Icklingham. One sibling had died. |
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He enlisted in Icklingham. The 9th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment and 71st Coy Machine Gun Corps were part of 71st Brigade, 6th Division. The war diary says the 9th Suffolks were at rest on 28th August 1916 but had a route march to Beauval. One of their unpleasant duties leading up to the 28th was clearing the battle field near Mailly-Maillet of the dead from July 1st of the Ulster Division. Fred's is the only death in the battalion that day, perhaps he was actually in action with the Machine Gun Corps but their war diary has not been found yet.
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission and also commemorated on the Weather Heath Memorial (Elveden Column by the A11) click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
