No.13802, Private, Spencer TURNER
Aged 23
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Spencer Turner was born on 17th March 1893 in Elveden (Mildenhall Q1-1893 4A:811), son of Samuel and Jane TURNER (née GOYMER).
Admitted to Elveden Voluntary Aided Primary School in May 1897 leaving in March 1900 when the family left Elveden. His father born 1865 in Littleport was a farm labourer. 1901 census...Aged 8, he was at Builder Yard, Elveden with his widowed mother Jane TURNER [38] born Wickhambrook; brothers Joseph [14] a shepherd's page born Barnham, Ernest [6] and Victor [1] both born in Elveden; sisters Emma [11] borm Barnham, Esther [10] and Kate [5] both born in Elveden. 1911 census...Aged 18, a farm labourer, he was at Berners Farm, Icklingham with his mother and brothers Ernest (farm labourer and Victor (school) |
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During those days the battalion tried one more than one occasion to take "The Quadrilateral, a German strongpoint but with no success CWGC records show a total of 101 killed on 16th, Spencer being one of only 22 with a identified grave, re-interred in Guillemont Road cemetery. He enlisted in Icklingham . The concentration form telling where he was found also gives death at 13/16th Sept so at that time they were not actually sure of the exact date. The Bury Free Press of 21st October 1916 reported :- AN EXCELLENT SOLDIER Deep regret was felt in Icklingham when the news of the death of Prvt Spencer Turner arrived. The deceased was deservedly popular in the village, and much sympathy is felt for his mother, a widow, whose four sons having been serving at the Front. Spencer Turner enlisted in the 9th Suffolks in the autumn of 1914, being amongst the first to volunteer from Icklingham. He was killed in action instantaneously in the course of the attack on Ginchy on Sept.13th. His platoon officer (Second Lt. Gerald Collyer) in a sympathetic letter to his mother (Mrs Jane Turner, of Roan Hall Farm, Icklingham) remarks:-"I cannot speak too highly of him, for he was an excellent soldier". It is evident that he was as highly esteemed in the regiment as he was at home. In a further article in the same edition it states that "He was one of four brothers who enlisted early in the war, the eldest in the R.A.M.C. and the others in the Suffolk Regiment." The officer in his platoon, was himself wounded in the same engagement (2nd Lieut Collyer) said Spencer was a bomber in his platoon.
Spencer was found here photo: Rodney Gibson and also commemorated on the Weather Heath Memorial (Elveden Column by the A11) click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
