Aged 21
No. 14846, Private, 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on Monday, 3rd July 1916
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Born in Q2-1896 [Newmarket 3b:520] in Newmarket to Alfred and Matilda ALEY (née STEBBINGS) of 76 St. Philips Road, Newmarket.
1901 census...At 76 St Philip's Road, Newmarket were Frank [5] with his father Alfred [39] a stableman born in Harlow; his mother Matilda [35] born in Saxon Street; sister Rose [13], and brothers Alfred [11]; Bertie [9]; and Cecil [1]. All the children were born in Newmarket 1911 census...At Lordship Farm, Dullingham were Frank [15] a farm labourer; his parents; brother Alfred, who was now a stableman; brother Cecil and a sister Gladys [8] born in Newmarket. He was one of 9 children, but 2 had died The pension card puts his mother at 1 Oxborough Terrace, King Edward Road, Newmarket. Frank's entry in "Our Exning Heroes" reads as follows: Aley, Frank. Born in S.Philip's Road in 1896. Educated at S.Mary's School and at Dullingham School. He was apprenticed to Mr Smallwood's stud and remained there until war broke out. He joined up immediately - in September 1914, in the 8th Suffolks. He was training in England about ten months, and went to France on the Ypres front and was badly gassed in September of that year. After five months rest he was again sent overseas on to the Somme front - and took part in the great attack in July, but on the third day of the attack was reported missing, and no news has been received since- only that he is supposed killed. He was a keen cricketer, and played for Mr. Denison-Pender's team in Hare Park, and was one of the best bowlers, and when in the Army he soon learnt to be a good bomb thrower, no doubt due to his cricket career, and secured first place in his battalion for bomb throwing. |
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From "The History of the Suffolk Regiment" by Lt Col. Murphy (where much of the Suffolks information on this site is harvested) :- On July 3rd the battalion, under the command of Major G.H. Henty, took part in the frontal attack on Ovillers. In this operation the 12th Div. attacked on a two brigade front, the 35th on the right, with the 5th Berkshire (right) and 7th Suffolk (left)in the front line. The 37th Brigade was on the left. The battalion attacked in 8 successive waves, the leading ones starting ten minutes before zero hour, which had been fixed for 3.15 am. The first 4 waves penetrated as far as the enemy's third line, some of them getting into the village itself; but owing to the darkness the succeeding waves lost touch, enabling the Germans to surge in and cut them off. At the 3rd line of resistance, after very severe fighting, the attack was brought to a standstill, the battalion losing very heavily. All the company commanders were killed, Major Henty and Lts Bowen,Taylor and Hood being the only officers to come through untouched. Casualties amounted to 470 of all ranks. On record with CWGC there are 159 of the 7th Battalion killed that day, mostly either buried in Ovillers Cemetery or named on the Thiepval Memorial. Thus, at the battle of Albert, this battalion was almost destroyed. The remnants stayed in the trenches till July 8th Two other Newmarket men of the 7th Battalion were killed this day William Barrett and Walter Leonard Three Exning men of the Battalion also fell that day Edward Dicker, and Ernest Hobbs, and William Pitches |
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