No.15762, Private, Frederick COOTE
Aged 19
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Frederick Coote was born in Little Thurlow (Risbridge Q3-1897 4A:770), son of George and Charlotte COOTE (née WALLIS).
1901 census...Aged 3, he was at The Green, Little Thurlow with his father George COOTE [38] farm labourer born Great Thurlow; his mother Charlotte [37]; brothers Arthur [18] (farm labourer), and William [8]; sisters Mary [11] and Rose [6].All except his father were born in Little Thurlow. 1911 census...Aged 14, a farm labourer, he was still at The Green, Little Thurlow with his parents; brother Charles (farm labourer), William (shepherd), Thomas [9] and James [4] both born in Little Thurlow; sister Rose. |
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He enlisted in Newmarket.
The 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment was often referred to as "The Cambridgeshires" despite there being an actual Cambridgeshire Regiment. This was due to the fact that the recruiting facilities at Gibraltar barracks in Bury St.Edmunds were overwhelmed by the number of eager volunteers, and a temporary camp was set up in Cambridge to share the load. This unit, taking it's men mainly from the Fens and having no official title, was quickly nicknamed "The Cambridgeshires".It soon became officially the 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. The 11th was one of 2 Suffolk battalions involved in the action on the 1st day of the battle of the Somme, the 8th Battalion was the other, albeit in a support role. The 11th suffered the heaviest casualties in the 34th Division. Moving out from Becourt Wood at 5 am towards their jumping off point, the giant mine at Lochnagar was exploded at 7:28 (80,000 lbs of ammonal) and two minutes later the attack began. Their line of advance was through the centre of Bailiff Wood. The enemy in La Boiselle were stronger than had been thought and the Suffolks were quickly cut down by machine gun fire. It was effectively all over for them by 8 am. All day wounded lay out looking for a chance to crawl back. Some valiant souls still tried to advance, a pitiful few reaching the German wire. Of the 188 men of the 11th Suffolk to die on 1st July 1916, 147 have no known grave. 1 July 1916..11th Suffolks war diary, which fails to tell the real horror of the day. Map 1.5000 sheet 57d.X.25.d Becourt Wood 1st July 5:am - Bn commenced to leave BECOURT WOOD and proceeded to jumping off places in DUNDEE AVENUE and NEW CUT "B" and in MONIKIE STREET. 7 am - Bn all in position with Battn HQ in a dugout near junction of DUNDEE AVENUE with ARBROATH STREET and NEW CUT "B". The Bn was considerably delayed in getting into position owing to the right of the 102nd Brigade extending too far to the right. 7:28 am - The mine opposite left of 101st Brigade was exploded [La Boiselle- Lochnagar] 7:30 - The infantry assault was launched. The Bn followed the 10th Lincolns from our assembly trenches down into SAUSAGE VALLEY and across to the German lines. Owing to the failure of the 102nd Brigade on the left to capture LA BOISELLE, our advance from the moment it left our assembly trenches was subjected to a very heavy fire from machine guns from LA BOISELLE. In spite of the fact that wave after wave were mown down by machine gun fire, all pushed on without hesitation, though very few reached the German lines. The diary then moves on to the 2nd July without any further details.
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
