BRIDGE, Victor


No.S/654, Rifleman, Victor BRIDGE
Aged 25


10th Battalion, Rifle Brigade
Killed in Action on/since 18th September 1916


Victor Bridge was born in Hawkedon (1st qtr 1894 Sudbury 4a:759) son of George David and Emma Ellen BRIDGE (née SMITH)

1901 census...Aged 7, he was at Church Street, Fulbourn with his father George BRIDGE [50] stockman; his mother Emma [42] born Sudbury; sister Emma; brothers George [20] threshing machine driver, Edward [13] stockman. All except his mother were born in Hawkedon.

1911 census...Aged 17, a grocer's assistant, he was at High Street, Fulbourn with his widowed mother; brother Edward (jobbing labourer), and sister Marjory His father had died that year.

On the pension card his mother was at High Street, Fulbourn, she was now Mrs BAYFORD, having married Henry BAYFORD in 1918.



He enlisted in East Ham, when resident in Fulbourn.
He attested on 3rd September 1914 giving his age as 20 years. He was 5 feet 9.5 inches tall, weighed 127 lbs, chest 31 to 33.5 inches, blue eyed, dark hair and Church of England. He joined the Rfile Brigade at Winchester on 4th. Posted to BEF on 21st July 1915. He had given his next of kin as his mother Emily [sic] of High Street, Fulbourn. His documents are badly stained so little else is legible,

The war diary has them in trenches NE of Guinchy:
18th..Rainy weather now set in and continued for rest of tour, making life in the wrecked trenches almost unbearable. There was no shelter of any kind and men slept standing in mud up to the knees. The day was uneventful though the shelling was again heavy. During the afternoon the Brigadier visited Bn HQ and explained that at night a new trench would be dug parallel with the enemy's front line, for which the battalion would find a covering party. The party was put out by Lt Train at 9:30 pm and the trench was dug with complete success by the Royal Engineers and Pioneers. This day 2 Lt GW White was sent to the Rest Station suffering from shell shock.

CWGC have 28 of the battalion killed that day, only five with known graves.



photo CWGC

Victor Bridge is buried in Guards Cemetery, Lesboeufs, France 10:C:5

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


BACK