9322, Private, Albert Ernest FENN
Aged 24
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Albert Ernest Fenn was born in Isleham, Newmarket (Q3-1892 3B:537 )son of William Gotobed and Ellen FENN (née SMITH ).
1901 census...Aged 8, Albert E FENN was at Holmsey Green with his father William FENN [30?] farm labourer, born London; his mother Ellen [31] born Mildenhall; sisters Minnie [10] and Florence [6] both born Isleham; brothers Richard [4] and Arthur W [1] both born Mildenhall. 1911 census...Aged 18 he was a farm labourer for Frederick Fincham at ? Farm, West Row. At Holmsey Green, Beck Row, were his parents (father a bird catcher); brothers Richard (farm labourer), Arthur W (scholar) and John [3] born Mildenhall; sisters Daisy [10],Ethel [8] and Doris [4] all born in Mildenhall. The pension card has his mother at 55 Holmsey Green, Beck Rown but after her death his father seems to have moved to Bury St. Edmunds He was the brother of Richard FENN who died in France in 1916 see here |
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Bertie enlisted in Mildenhall. "Soldiers Died" has him born in Isleham. The 7th Suffolks, according to Lt.Col. Murphy's "History of the Suffolk Regiment", were around Arras and on the 15th the enemy carried out a raid on the unit to their left, but the 7th Suffolks suffered casualties from the opening bombardment. The war diary has :- Very quiet early morning. About 5:10 a hostile raiding party came over, heavy barrage of 77mm shells on right by INDIA LANE; they got into our trench on extreme right. caught 1 Lewis gun post. The battalion of 8th E.Yorks Regt on left badly handled, reached their support line and bombed dug outs. Raiders returned; our casualties 13 wounded, 5 killed, 3 missing, most casualties due to barrage.
photo: Rodney Gibson and originally on the Mildenhall memorial click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
