No.9278, Corporal, Maurice Reginald Algernon GREENACRE
Aged 24
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Morris George Algee Greenacre was born on 16th January 1894 (Mildenhall Q1-1894 4A:804 ) to Emma GREENACRE, a dressmaker from West Row.
"Soldier Died" has him born in Cavenham. Possibly she married George WATTS in 1897. Post 1891 there has been little found about George WATTS or Emma
GREENACRE
1901 census...Aged 7, he was at Beck Row Road, Mildenhall with his uncle and aunt, Thomas and Jane WATTS (CWGC have them as adopted parents). Thomas [52] was a gardener; Jane (née ABREY?) [49]; cousins Albert WATTS [15] errand boy and Henrietta [11] and Thomas WATTS' grand-daughter Jane MOORE [4]. All recorded as born in Mildenhall. 1911 census...Aged 17, he was under gardener at The Hall, Barton Mills for the Ireland family, he is now recorded as born in Barton Mills. His uncle and aunt were still at Beck Row Road, Mildenhall with their son Albert (hairdresser) now recorded as born in Sinnington, Yorkshire, and daughter Henrietta who had married Frederick SEAGER. The Army Register of soldier's personal effects has Jane WATTS as his Aunt and his sole legatee. No pension card has been found. |
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Maurice enlisted in Bury St Edmunds. "Soldiers Died" has him as born in Cavenham. Lt Col Murphy's "History of the Suffolk Regiments tells us :- "On April 18th the 11th Battalion moved into its assembly positions half a mile south -east of Roclincourt. The next morning, at half past five, the guns began to roar, and the battalion, six hundred strong with twenty officers, under Lt Colonel Kendrick, advance to attack on the first German system of trenches. The progress of the 11th Suffolk Regiment-one of two leading battalions of the 101st Brigade- was checked but not delayed by the hostile machine gun fire, and within the allotted time the first goal was reached. "A" Company reporting the Black Line captured without loss. Shortly after eight o'clock battalion headquarters moved forward to the German second line where they established themselves in a dugout, five of the battalion runners and the orderly room sergeant capturing a batch of twenty German prisoners who showed little inclination to fight. As soon as Blue Line had been occupied the battalion set to work consolidating their position and reorganising. After dusk they were sent off to the assistance of the 27th Northumberland Fusiliers (Lt.Colonel E Moulton-Barrett),but on arrival found that the enemy counter attack had easily been repulsed. Battalion headquarters and two companies then returned to their original positions where the remaining companies joined them at dawn. Weather conditions were now very bad with occasional snow storms. CWGC records have 24 of the battalion killed.
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