No. 48170, Private, William Elijah BRADFORD
Aged 26
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William Elijah Bradford was born in Great Wratting (Risbridge Q3-1890 4A:648), baptised Great Wratting, St Mary's on 7th September 1890, son of Arthur and Ellen Maria
BRADFORD (née THOMPSON).
1891 census...Aged 8 months, he was at The Cottages, Moore's Pasture, Great Wratting with his father Arthur BRADFORD [25]farm labourer born Barnardiston and his mother Ellen M [19] born Little Wratting. 1901 census...Aged 10, he was at The Street, Great Wratting with his parents (father stock man) and sisters Edith [9], Jessie [6] and Lizzie [5], all the sisters were born in Great Wratting. 1911 census...Aged 20, a farm labourer, he was still at The Street, Great Wratting with his parents ( father now cowman)and sister Elizabeth. He married Ethel GRAY (b. 7-5-1887) in Q2-1915. On the pension card his widow and son (William Arthur b.17-11-1915) were at Myrtle Cottages, Hall End, Finchingfield, nr Braintree. |
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He enlisted in Sudbury. The fact that he is recorded as "died of wounds" and yet is named on the Arras memorial indicates that his burial place was destroyed in later fighting, or that he was last seen to be wounded but his body was never found. The war diary has the Battalion in the Monchy area (SNAFFLE TRENCH) east of the village at the end of June. The last few days of June their casualties were light, a couple of wounded daily, 22nd to 31st June a total of 5 killed, 20 wounded, 1 missing.
photo: Rodney Gibson click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
