No.14445, Private, Arthur WARREN
Aged 23
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Arthur Warren was born in Burwell (Newmarket Q2-1892 3B:531), son of Ephraim and Ellen WARREN (née FULLER).
1901 census...Aged 8, he was at 4 Bedlam Yard, High Street, Burwell with his father Ephraim WARREN [34] engine driver on farm; his mother Ellen [31]; brother Ephraim [6]; sisters Selina M.[4] and Florence [1]. They were all born in Burwell. 1911 census...Aged 18, stock man, he was at Ness Road, Burwell with his parents, brother Ephraim (ploughman) and sister Florrie and Irene [5] born Burwell. Also Florence WARREN [13], a Burwell born cousin. His sister Selina May had died. In Burwell on 9th December 1911 he married Alice May READY (Born 1892, daughter of Robert READY). They had one son, Arthur George WARREN (1912-1981). |
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He enlisted in Cambridge.
The 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment was often referred to as "The Cambridgeshires" despite there being an actual Cambridgeshire Regiment. This was due to the fact that the recruiting facilities at Gibraltar barracks in Bury St.Edmunds were overwhelmed by the number of eager volunteers, and a temporary camp was set up in Cambridge to share the load. This unit, taking it's men mainly from the Fens and having no official title, was quickly nicknamed "The Cambridgeshires".It soon became officially the 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. The 11th was one of 2 Suffolk battalions involved in the action on the 1st day of the battle of the Somme, the 8th Battalion was the other, albeit in a support role. The 11th suffered the heaviest casualties in the 34th Division. Moving out from Becourt Wood at 5 am towards their jumping off point, the giant mine at Lochnagar was exploded at 7:28 (80,000 lbs of ammonal) and two minutes later the attack began. Their line of advance was through the centre of Bailiff Wood. The enemy in La Boiselle were stronger than had been thought and the Suffolks were quickly cut down by machine gun fire. It was effectively all over for them by 8 am. All day wounded lay out looking for a chance to crawl back. Some valiant souls still tried to advance, a pitiful few reaching the German wire. Of the 188 men of the 11th Suffolk to die on 1st July 1916, 147 have no known grave. Four Burwell men, all in the 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment died on the infamous 1st day of the Somme, Ivan Cook, Joseph Mason, Harry Norton and Arthur Warren. |
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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