No.31393, Private, Horace John LILLEY
Aged 23
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Horace John Lilley was born in Hengrave on 13th January 1895 (Thingoe Q1-1895 4A:812), baptised in Flempton St Catherine with Hengrave on
7th July 1895, son of James Jethro and Sarah LILLEY (née HOWE).
1901 census...Aged 6, he was at Waterhall, Hengrave with his father James LILLEY [44] horsekeeper born Great Chesterford, Essex; his mother Sarah [46] born Ixworth; sisters Alice [21], Edith [15] both born in Lackford, Elizabeth [10] and Ellen R [8] both born in Hengrave; brothers Alfred W [24] farm labourer born in Lackford, Frederick [4] and Joseph B [2] both born in Hengrave. 1911 census...Aged 16 farm labourer, he was n Hengrave with his parents; brothers James Jethro, farm labourer, Frederick Charles and Bertie Joseph and niece Annie Laura LILLEY [3] born Hengrave. Her parentage is not recorded on census. Of the 13 siblings, 3 had died. |
| He enlisted in Bury St Edmunds .
The 16th battalion was known as the "Salford Pals". Since he died of his wounds and his Army service record has not been found it cannot be said exactly when or where he was wounded, but the battalion moved by rail from the Ypres Salient to France on 28th March having been in trenches near Poelcapelle and Houthulst Forest. Possibly that was where he was wounded. It would have been when reinforcements were rushed south from Belgium to the Somme to help hold back the German Spring Offensive which started on 21st March 1918. |
photo: Rodney Gibson
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