No.9052, Private, Arthur SIMPKIN
Aged 28
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Arthur Simpkin was born in Stradishall ( 4th qtr 1887 Risbridge 4a:633 ) son of James and Mary Ann SIMPKIN (née BEAVIS)
1891 census...Aged 3, he was at Three Ashed, Stradishall with his father James SIMPKIN [50] farm labourer; his mother Mary Ann [43]; sisters Annie [19] and Edith [10]; niece Lily [1]; brothers Harry [24] and George [14] farm labourers, Willie [12]and Alfred [5]. All were born in Stradishall. 1901 census...Aged 13, farm labourer, he was at Haking's ? Farm, Norton, with his parents, brothers William and Alfred (farm labourers); sister Edith and Lily (now recorded as his father's niece) 1911 census...Aged 24, he was a servant at Boxted Hall (John WELLER-POLEY). His parents were at House Farm, Gedding Hall with his brother Alfred and his wife Beatrice Louise. He married Alice Agnes STURGEON [9-11-1892] in 1914. Probate gave their address as Hartest. On the pension card his widow was at 48 Stanley Road, Harrow |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds
The 7th Suffolks missed the slaughter of the 1st day of the Somme, 1st July, being in Reserve and later moving up to the support trenches. Arriving in the support trenches at 38.30 am they spent the day there and prepared to attack Ovillers at 3:15am on 3rd. The War Diary :- At 3:15 am the Battalion made a frontal attack on Ovillers on a frontage of 200 yards; the disposition of the Battalion was as follows:-"D" Coy on the right, "C" Coy on left, supported by "B" Coy on the right, "A" Coy on the left. On the right of the Battalion was the 5th Royal Berks and on the left the 37th Brigade , the 36th Brigade being in reserve. Two companies of the Essex Reg were in support to each Battalion, the Norfolks being in reserve. Zero was at 3:15 am, ten minutes before zero the leading waves advanced under cover of the bombardment and at the hour of zero the Battalion assaulted in eight successive waves. The first 4 waves (D and C Coys) penetrated the the enemy's third line and portions of them into the village itself, but owing to the darkness touch was lost with succeeding waves and with the 5th Royal Berks on the right, so that the leading waves were not supported closely enough, thus allowing the Germans to get in between the waves and cut off the leading ones at the 3rd line of resistance, it was at the 3rd German line that the chief casualties occurred and the assault was brought to a standstill. The two companies of the Essex Regt moving up in support were too far behind and were practically annihilated by machine gun fire during their advance across the open. The casualties in the Battalion were 21 officers and 458 O.R. killed, wounded and missing, though some of these missing eventually regained the Battalion during the following night. CWGC records show 155 of the Battalion killed, of which 110 have no known grave.
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