No.43225, Corporal, Walter Ernest AVEY
Aged 21
|
Born in 1895 (1st qtr Bury St.Edmunds 4a:823) son of Walter Ernest and Eleanor Phoebe AVEY (née ANTHONEY).
1901 census...Aged 6, he was at The Lodge, 9 St.Mary's Square, Bury St.Edmunds with his father Walter Ernest AVERY [35] domestic gardener, born Colchester; his mother Eleanor Phoebe [35] born Hammersmith. 1911 census...Aged 16, an asssitant domestic gardener, he was still in St Mary's Sqaure with his parents and brother Dennis John [8] and sister Edith Eleanor [6], both born in Bury St.Edmunds The pension card has his father still at The Lodge, St.Mary's Square |
|
He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds. The 12th October 1916 was a black day for the 7th Suffolks. The war diary has:- 12 oct - Attack to be made on BAYONET TRENCH and LUISENHOFF FARM..Morning very quiet 5 am - Battn lying in shell holes in front ready 10 am - Major HENTY went forward to advanced Bn HQ in GRASS STREET to receive reports 2 pm - ZERO Attack started German barrae very intense. Battalion proceeded in four waves, each company with a platoon front. No definite report till 6pm when Battn was back in front line having failed to reach its objective. B and D coys gained objective but were drive out by superior numbers 1st Essex Regt on right gained objective but were unable to hold it, finally they managed to keep a part of it. Battn withdrew to Reserve in FLERS TRENCH That glosses over the harsh facts. The pre-attack German barrage had caused havoc. Capt Leith Hay-Clark had been buried twice by shells before zero. Advancng over open ground at 2 pm they were met by intense machine gun and rifle fire. Close to the German tenches they were held up by machine gun nests and wire which had not been cut. They had to lay down, unable to get further. Several officers, NCOs and men showed heroic bravery and got into the German line. Lt.Eagle is reported to have died fighting in the German trench, having forced an entry alone. Of the 15 Officers at the start, not one returned unscathed, 4 wounded and 11 killed. ORs were 95 killed and the exact number of wounded and missng have not been found, suffice it to say total battalion casualties exceeded 500. The root cause of the disaster was finding the wire un-cut and the totally insufficient Allied artillery barrage |
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details