No.15987, Corporal, Walter SHIPP
Aged 31
|
It is hard to be absolutely sure at present about many of the SHIPP and FARRANT families, there is much scope for mis-identification. In this
instance many fruitless hours were spent trying to track down a marriage between a FARRANT and a SHIPP, since Walter's sister is recorded
as Mrs FARRANT. Thanks to a relative it transpires that I needed to be looking for HARDING (sometimes found as HAYDEN), since these were the actual surnames
of Kate HARDING before she married Albert FARRANT in 1889, she was not a SHIPP. Walter's parents had left it rather late to get married,
his mother by then using the HAYDEN surname. The Helena or Selina change most likely a transcription error. Too late I learned that the General
Records Office had expanded their on line search of the registers to include mother's maiden names now.(2017)
Walter SHIPP was born in Haverhill, (Risbridge Q2-1887 4A:644), son of Samuel and Selina SHIPP (née HARDING). Her forename on the marriage register in 1875 is apparently transcribed as Helena 1891 census...Aged 4, he was at 47 Burton End, Haverhill with his father Samuel SHIPP [46] farm labourer; his mother Selina [45] bornHelions Bumpstead; brothers William [16] and Stephen [14], both farm labourers, Harry [12] and Arthur {10]; sisters Lillie [9], Nellie [7], Bessie [2] and Alice [6 months]. All except his mother were born in Haverhill. According to the 1881 census there was an older sister, Kate, born 1871 in Haverhill 1901 census...Aged 14, a farm labourer, he was at 55 Burton End with his widowed mother (trousers finisher), sisters Lily (jacket machinist), Nellie (shirt maker), Rose "Bessie" and Alice; brother Arthur (bricklayer's labourer). His father had died in 1897. 1911 census... Aged 23, a milkman, he was at 69 Burton End, Haverhill with his cousin George BARBER [43] labourer, wife Kate BARBER [36] tailoress and their nephew Ernest Frederick BARBER [3] born Halstead. His mother had died in 1904. |
|
The South West Suffolk Echo of 29th April 1918 reported:- "Mrs. Farrant, of Recreation Road, Haverhill, has been officially notified that her brother, Corporal Walter Shipp of the Suffolk Regiment, was killed in action on the 2nd inst. A letter from Lance-Corporal H. Shipp who was in close personal communication with his brother, states that the deceased soldier was hit by a shell while in his billet, and was killed (instantaneously) instantly, being buried in a Cemetery behind the lines. Corporal Shipp, who was 31 years of age, enlisted on the outbreak of war, and was in France within the first three months. Prior to enlistment he was employed on a milk round by Mr. H.P. Cross." He enlisted in Haverhill. The Battalion war diary has: 2.4.18 - Bn in Henencourt, heavily shelled during day.Moved up into line to relieve 12th Bn Manchester Regt in right sub sector in front of Albert." Walter was the only one the Battalion killed that day. Walter was initially buried as below and re-interred in Ribemont in August 1919. HENENCOURT WOOD CEMETERY, about 800 metres west of Henencourt, was used by units and Field Ambulances from June 1916 to August 1918, and it contained the graves of 108 Commonwealth soldiers. |
photo: Rodney Gibson
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details