CROSBY, Patrick


No.20058, Private, Patrick CROSBY
Aged 29


11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on 28th April 1917


Patrick Crosby was born in Stanningfield in 1886 (3rd qtr 1886 Thingoe 4a:676) son of George and Margaret CROSBY(née GOOCH)

1891 census...Aged 4, he was at Long Yard, Stanningfield with his mother Margaret CROSBY [34] married tailoress ; sister Margaret [14] both born in Bury St.Edmunds; brothers Mark [7] and Edmund [1]. All the boys were born in Stanningfield. His father was boarding at 31 Chalk Lane, Bury St.Edmunds with the WILDING family

1901 census...Aged 14, a blacksmith's apprentice, he was at Fox Row, Stanningfield with his mother, brothers Edmund and Joseph [9]; sisters Kathleen [5] and Nora [3]. All the new siblings were born in Stanningfield.His father was a Sergeant in the 3rd battalion, Suffolk Regiment in St Peter Port, Guernsey.

1911 census...Aged 24, a blacksmith, he was at Rose Cottage Stanningfield with his parents (father George CROSBY)[35] a jobbing thatchr and bricklayer born Stanningfield; brothers Francis [28] a labourer, Edmund and Joseph farm labourers;

He married Mary STOREY [20-1-1884] in 1913

On the pension card his widow was at 56 Westgate Street, Bury St.Edmunds. It seems he lived in Shimpling after marriage.

His brother Edmund was killed accidentally later that year see here


He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds
The action where he was killed was the attack on the chemical works at Rouex. from Lt Col Murphy's "History of the Suffolk Regiment" and the war diary:-
28th April - 4.25 a.m. Barrage commenced, 4:27 a.m. battalion advanced but was held up and driven back by very considerable hostile machine gun fire from a trench which had been entirely missed by our barrage. What was left of the battalion formed up in our front line.
5:30 a.m. Major Tuck went up to our front line to reorganise our defences. In the front line were 5 officers, 300 other ranks (including 2 officers and 60 other ranks from 16th Royal Scots.
9:45 a.m. The enemy counter attacked from Roeux, capturing MOUNT PLEASANT WOOD and part of CEYLON TRENCH.
10 a.m. All communications with the front line were cut. The enemy driven out of CEYLON TRENCH and MOUNT PLEASANT WOOD.
10 p.m. The battalion moved out of front line trench & support line to enable the heavy artillery to bombard the chemical works. They moved back into the front line at midnight.


On this horrific day for the 11th Suffolks, CWGC records 106 killed of which 82 have no known grave.




Patrick Crosby is buried in Brown's Copse Cemetery, Roeux, France 1:B;19
and commemorated in Stanningfield

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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