No.5305, Private, William George SHINN
Aged 29
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William George Shinn was born in Stansfield (sic) (2nd qtr 1887 Risbridge 4a:653) son of Fred and SHINN (née LISTER). Apparently another
boundary confusion as Stansfield is in the registration district of Risbridge yet some
records put William as born Hawkedon (Sudbury registration)
1891 census...Aged 4, he was at Crosslands, Hawkedon with his father Fred SHINN [35] farm labourer; his mother Mary Ann [34] born Felsham; sister Elizabeth [10]; brothers Lester [8] and Oscar [1]. All except his mother born in Hawkedon. 1901 census...Aged 14, a farm labourer, now recorded as born in Stansfield, he was still at Crosslands, Hawkedon with his widower father; sister Elizabeth now recorded as born in Boxted; brothers Lester and Oscar. His mother had died in 1900. 1911 census...Aged 24, a horseman on farm (like his father and brother Lester) he was at Crossland Farm, Hawkedon with his father, brothers Lester, Charles [19] a farm labourer born Hawkedon; sisters Edith [17] and Ellen [14] both born Hawkedon. |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds
The 8th East Surreys reached the outskirts of Montauban and had set up HQ in Mine Alley in the old German front line. It was the infamous 1st day of the Somme when over 20,000 of our men were killed. Most war diaries are understandably a bit vague but the East Surreys have a very detailed AND TYPEWRITTEN war diary for that period. click here to go to the battalion war diary
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
