No. 14753, Private, George Edgar Ernest WILLETT
Aged 20
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George Edgar Ernest Willett was born in Needham Market in 1897 (could be the George Edward E WILLETT, Bosmere Q4-1896 4A-879). Son of James and Mary WILLETT
(née KIMMANCE).
1901 census...Aged 4, Edgar was at The Street, Tuddenham with his father James Willett [32] general labourer born Lakenheath; his mother Mary [32] born Tuddenham; brothers James [10] and Walter [8] both born Moulton and Albert [2] born Ipswich, and sister Laura [6] born Needham Market. 1911 census...Aged 14, a labourer, he was at Tuddenham, Soham (sic) with his widower father (unemployed), brother Albert and a housekeeper Kate Elizabeth KIMMANCE (James' sister in law). His mother had died in 1903. |
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Enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds He enlisted on 2nd September 1914, giving his age as 19 and place of birth as Tuddenham. He was only 5 feet 2 inches (157.5 cm)tall, chest 33" to 35" (83.8 to 88.9 cm). Next of kin, father, J.Willett, Tuddenham St Mary, nr Mildenhall. He and was posted to 8th battalion, Suffolk regiment on 4th September. On 12th September he was transferred to Royal Army Medical Corps but transferred back to 8th Suffolks on 6th October 1914. He was posted to the British Expeditionary Force on France on 24th July 1915. Taken ill on 5th November 1915 he was admitted to 55 Field Ambulance, diagnosed bronchitis and sent to 5 Casualty Clearing Station and then on 6th to 24 General Hospital, Etaples where again brochitis was diagnosed. He was evacuated to UK and posted to Suffolk Regiment Depot on 20th November 1915. Finally, diagnosed with TB he was discharged on 8th August 1916. He died on 23rd October. (Mildenhall Q4-1916 4A:1098)1098 Un-recognised by Commonwealth War Graves Commission, his death certificate gave the cause of death as heart failure. This, not tying in with TB on his discharge papers, precludes him from inclusion on the CWGC records. The question has been asked and the answer was a negative as the cause of death has to be due to or aggravated by his military service. |
I shall take my shears, in the meantime this photograph is due to Simon Knott
suffolkchurches.co.uk