No.20031, Lance Sergeant, Alfred George WARREN
Aged 21
|
Alfred George Warren was born in Burwell,(Newmarket Q2-1898 3B:523) son of William and Ada WARREN (née HEEKS).
1901 census...Aged 2, he was at North Street, Burwell with his father William WARREN, [32] stationary engine driver, born Burwell; his mother Ada [32], born Burwell; brother Frederick W. [5] born Stratford, Essex; sister Clara [4] born Burwell and brother Arthur [1] born Burwell. 1911 census...Aged 12, he was at North Street, Burwell with his widower father, sister Clara and brother Arthur. His mother had died in 1905. |
|
He enlisted in Newmarket and examined at Bury St Edmunds on 12th May 1915 for Suffolk Regiment, No.20031. He gave his age as 19 years 1 month, a farm
labourer from North Street, Burwell. He was 5 feet 8.5 inches (174 cm)tall, weighed 140 lbs 963.7 kg), chest 36" to "39 (91.4 to 99.1 cm), religion Congregational.
At depot he was posted to 3rd battalion on 24th April 1915, embarked at Folkestone on 26th April 1917 to go to the British Expeditionary Force in France, 5th Infantry Base Depot then on 30th April to 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. He received a gun shot wound to the buttocks on 11th June 1917, attended 103 Field Ambulance, then 42 Casualty Clearing Station and then a base hospital before returning to his unit on 24th June 1917. The battalion were in the line at Green Line in the Gavrelle sector (France) He then received a shell wound to his face on 10th October 1917 which saw him sent to Etaples to 7th Canadian General Hospital. His records are too faded to read then until 1918. At this time the battalion was in Flanders around Proven, repairing roads in the forward area, a severe and unpleasant task carried out in daylight under constant shell and machine gun fire, which cost the battalion 50 casualties over three days. Promotions were to unpaid Acting Lance Corporal 29th November 1917, to paid Lance Corporal on 9th April 1918 and full corporal on 16th September 1918, and then to paid Lance Sergeant on 6th November 1918 He returned to England on 1st March 1919 and was transferred on demob to Z Reserve on 1st April 1919 giving his intended residence as North Street, Burwell. He was found drowned in the river at Burwell. Letters in his pocket said it was "impossible to forget the past". A coroner's inquest gave the verdict of "suicide whilst of unsound mind". The newspaper report on Friday, October 10, 1919 records :- EX-SERGEANT'S TRAGIC DEATH. - Found Drowned in the River Near Burwell. An inquiry was conducted by the County Coroner (Col.A.J.Lyon) at Burwell on Saturday, into the circumstances attending the death of Alfred George Warren, of Burwell who was found drowned in the river on the previous day. The first witness called was William Warren, of Burwell, who identified the body as that of his son, who was 21 years of age. He was a general labourer, and had been a sergeant in the 11th Suffolks. At 9.30 on Friday morning he was in the house, apparently quiet. Witness asked him how he was, and he complained about his head. He had previously been attended for depression. He went out of the house and was away a long time, so witness made inquiries, and found he had been seen near the river. At about 2.30 witness found the deceased's hat and coat on the bank near the bridge,and in the pockets were two letters, in which he said it was "impossible to stick this life any longer. He could not forget the past". Witness did not know to what this referred. He had served our years in France and had been wounded twice and gassed. He had been very quiet since he came home. Arthur Henry Dunnett, of Burwell, stated that at 11.45 a, he saw Mr.Warren's son on the Lode bank, walking towards Burwell. Witness said his people were looking for him, and Warren replied that he would be home before dinner. Richard Goodchild, of Burwell, a bargeman, said he heard at about 3 pm that a man was in the Lode. Witness went to the spot and searched and found Warren. He was quite dead, and his coat and cap were off. Witness examined the bank, and found where the man had gone into the river: it looked as if he had slipped in sitting down. He could have stood up six feet from the bank, so he must have walked a step or two after getting in the river before he reached the deep part. The bank was not steep. P.C. Horace Ray, stationed at Burwell, gave evidence that he was called to the Lode, where he found the deceased lying in a barge. A letter and some money were found on him. There were no marks on the body, other than wounds received during the war. There was froth at the mouth and nose. A verdict of "Suicide whilst of unsound mind" was returned. |
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details