No. 13167, Private, Percy Alfred SPARKES
Aged 21
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Percy Alfred was born in Herringswell in 1894 (Mildenhall Q3-1894 4A:750). He was the son of Richard and Jessie Maria SPARKES (née ROGERS).
1901 census...Aged 6, he was at Field Farm, Higham Road, Herringswell with his father Richard SPARKES [33] a horsekeeper, born Tuddenham; his mother Jessie [27] born Tuddenham, sister Ellen [5] born Herringswell and sister Caroline [2] born Tuddenham. 1911 census...Aged 16, a farm labourer, he was at Field Farm, Tuddenham with his parents, sister Caroline, and brothers Harry Richard [9] and Willie Edward [7], both born in Tuddenham. Another on the Herringswell Memorial and Tuddenham memorials is his neighbour, Charley Scott, at the same farm.. It seems quite likely that Field Farm was previously known as Charity Farm and lying on the border of Herringswell and Tuddenham, it's location was shared between the two villages depending on who recorded it. |
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Enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds On the 20th July, during the Battle of the Somme, the 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment were assembled and deployed in Pont Street, taking part in the renewed attacks on Longueval and Delville Wood. The artillery barrage lifted while it was still dark and the advance began. Again, from Lt Col Murphy's "History of the Suffolk Regiment" :- The two Suffolk companies in the forward line moved in double lines of platoons with a front of 140 yards each. Much bitter fighting followed, which, though indecisive locally, enabled a footing to be gained in High Wood by a division containing another Suffolk battalion - the 4th, and the British line to be linked up thence with Longueval. The casualties in the 2nd battalion were heavy...." In fact 113 were killed and 88 of these have no known grave. The 4th battalion lost 31. For "Soldiers Died" to have Percy as dying of his wounds he must either have been seen and reported as being wounded but later failed to answer the roll call, or his grave had been destroyed, to have his name recorded on the Thiepval memorial. The former is the more likely, especially as there is a second medal card for Percy which says he "Died", rather than "Killed in Action". |
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