No.3/9024, Private, Henry Walter ELLISTON
Aged 34
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Harry Walter Elliston was born in Fornham St.Martin (Thingoe Q3-1881 4A:576), baptised in Ipswich, St Mary Stoke on 16th March 1882, resident Fornham St Martin (recorded as born 1882 here but birth registration is definitely 1881), son of John and Sarah Johnson {or Jobson} ELLISTON (née TAYLOR). 1891 census...Aged 9, he was at West Cottages, The Park, Great Barton with his father John ELLISTON, [54] gamekeeper born Holbrook; his mother Sarah J. [52] Born Ipswich; brothers Arthur R [16] and John R [12] both farm labourers, born Edwardstone, Suffolk, Herbert E. [7] born Fornham St.Martin. 1901 census...Aged 19, bricklayers labourer, he was at The Beerhouse, Holbrook with his parents (father beer house keeper) and brother Herbert, a domestic gardener. He married Lily Louisa BANHAM [28-3-1882] on 24th February 1901 (Thingoe Q1-1901 4A:1261). 1911 census...Aged 29, a farm labourer, he was at Redgate Cottages, Great Barton with his wife Lily [29] born Ixworth; daughters Gertrude [19-8-1908] and Alice Edith Mary [3-11-1909] both born Bury St.Edmunds. They had 3 more daughters, Mabel Dorothy [9-9-1911], Violet Ruby [21-3-1913] and Kate Winifed Beatrice [7-4-1915]. His parents (father retired) were at Buck Street, Holbrook. His widow married Arthur STURGEON on 13-10-1917. Every record shows his birth as 1882 but his registration is 1881. Despite being named on the war memorial there, no documentation has been found linking him with Great Livermere, so this may be a parish boundary affair, or they may have moved into the next parish after the 1911 census. |
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Enlisted in Bury St Edmunds on 4th December 1901 in the Militia (3rd Suffolks), No 5563. He gave his age as 18 years 4 months. He was a
bricklayer's labourer, born Fornham St.Martin, 5 feet 7.5 inches (171.5 cm) tall, weighing 130 lbs (59.2 kg), chest 32.5" to 35" (82.6 to
88.9 cm), blue eyes, light brown hair, Church of England. His employer was Munnings of Ipswich, next of kin, father, John, at Holbrook. He
was discharged from the Militia on 3rd December 1907 having completed his 6 years.
His re-enlistment for the war must have been into the 2nd Battalion for him to have been in France by September 1914. His number, prefixed by "3" indicates he was a Special Reservist. The 1st Suffolks war diary for that time has not been found, but Lt.Col. Murphy's "History of the Suffolk Regiment" tells us that they were in Brigade Reserve between Frenzenberg and Verorenhoek, no shelters, bivouacking under hedges. The CO and Adjutant reached Frezenberg at dawn and soon received orders for Lt.Col. Wallace to command a mixed brigade of 1st Suffolk, 12th London and 1st Monmouth Rangers and take up a defensive position facing north east on the Frezenberg Ridge. The battalion then came under command of Captain Balders who set the men to digging in astride the Ypres-Zonnebeke Road. No sooner had they started when a staff officer told Capt Balders to take the 1st Suffolk and 12th Londons northward and attack any enemy they met. He added that the Germans had broken through and only these 2 battalions stood between the enemy and Ypres, a very critical situation. Capt Balders, despite not wishing to act without his Brigade Commander's orders, realised there was no time to lose, so he unhitched a horse from a gun limber and rode off to Brigade HQ. Once there he was given orders to try and establish himself in the hamlet of Fortuin. Under shell fire they moved forward and in passing Fortuin came across a Canadian HQ and was asked to use his two battalions up to help the Canadians. This he was loathe to do without orders, but when the 2 Canadian officers were hit, he decided to send the Canadians some help. The enemy fire increased and he was informed that the Germans now held St Julien. The men, out in the open, were set to dig in and overnight managed to dig a fire trench 4.5 feet deep with traverses, a remarkable feat. The situation by the 26th was so desperate that documents were being burnt, but the delaying efforts this group had given Allied reinforcements time to arrive and ease the situation. Exact figures of killed each day must of course be inaccurate in the circumstances, but CWGC records 50 killed of the 1st Suffolk on 24th, of which only 6 have known graves. "
and on the Livermere war memorial click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
