No.7545, Rifleman, John COBBOLD
Aged 26
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Born in Bury St.Edmunds (2nd qtr 1888 4a:726) son of Robert Didymus and Priscilla Annie COBBOLD (née SPALL). His mother (née COBBELL) was first married to William SPALL (died 1879).
1891 census...Aged 3, he was at 34 St.Andrews Street, Bury St.Edmunds with his father Robert Didymus COBBOLD [35] bootmaker; his mother Priscilla [44]; half brothers William SPALL [22], Frederick SPALL [20] and Frank SPALL [16]; brothers Thomas [8], Horace [6] and Arthur F [4]; sister Daisy Annie [10 months]. All were born in Bury St.Edmunds. John and all his full blood siblings were registered with their mother's maiden name as COBBOLD (her birth name of COBBELL often was transcribed as COBBOLD). 1901 census...Aged 13, He was at 18 High Baxter Street, Bury St.Edmunds with his father; brother Arthur Foster (errand boy), half brother William SPALL (greengrocer). His mother was a nursemaid at the General Hospital in Bury St Edmunds. Brother Horace was in St Peters Port, Guernsey in the Suffolk Regiment, Sister Daisy was at 13 Church Walk, Bury St.Edmunds with her uncle Frederick SPALL and his family, His mother died in 1907 1911 census...Aged 23 not found but presumed to be in the Army. His widower father and brother Horace were at 5 Lion Court, Southgate Street, Bury St Edmunds. Sister Daisy was at 83 Bingfield Street, Isligton with her aunt Kate SPALL, wife of "Bertie". He was living in Goswell Hill, Clerkenwell, when he enlisted. His sister Daisy was his legatee and sole beneficiary to his will. |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds.
1st Battalion KRRC on 14th November 1914, in the area of ZONNEBEKE:- A day of very heavy showers. We had a certain amount of shelling but only one man wounded by shell fire. The enemy's snipers were very active and as our trenches formed a right angle they were very liable to be enfilded by both rifle and shell fire. Our casualties for the day were 5 killed (all shot in the head by snipers) and 3 wounded This was before the CWGC existed and only John has a marked grave, his 4 chums are named on the Menin Gate.
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