No.235477, Company Sergeant Major, William Arthur ELY
Aged 29
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Born in 1889 in Bury St.Edmunds (3rd qtr 4a:699) son of Arthur and Charlotte ELY (née WINDWOOD)
1891 census...Aged 1, he was at 48 Raingate Street, Bury St.Edmunds with his fasther Arthur Edward ELY [23] tailor; his mother Charlotte [21], brother Alfred Edwin [6 months); half brother George Harry WINDWOOD [7]. All were born in Bury St.Edmunds 1901 census...Aged 11 he was at 53 Raingate Street with his grand parents, Richard and Elzabeth ELY, and his uncle and aunts and cousins. At 55 Raingate Street, Bury St.Edmunds were his parents; half brother George H WINDWOOD (blacksmith's labourer); brothers Alfred [10], Walter H [7], Charles E [3] and Frank F [2]; sisers Florence M [9] and Ethel E [5]. 1911 census...Aged 21, a wood fitter, he was at 11 Churchgate, Bury St.Edmunds with his parents; brothers Alfred Edwin(gardener), Walter Henry (errand boy), Charles Ernest (errand boy), Frank Frederick, Bertie [10], Arthur Edward [7 and Albert Richard [4]; sisters Ethel Elizabeth and Ellen Ruth. All of his mother's children survive. He was a bell ringer in the Norman Tower, Bury St.Edmunds. He married Olive Angelina RANSON [2-1-1883] in Sudbury in 1916. The pension card has her at 99 Eastgate Street, Bury St.Edmunds His brother Alfred Edwin died in France in 1917 see here |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds. The 1st Lincolns had been in Brigade Support at Heudicourt, workng under T Coy R.E., inspections and training. The war dairy for 21st March, the first day of the German Spring Offensive, the Kaiserschlacht :- 21st Mar ..5:45 Battn receives order "MAN BATTLE POSITIONS". "C" Coy comes under orders of OC left sector front line (OC 1st Bn Lincolnshire Regt) "A","B" and "D" Coys marched independently to their allotted postions in YELLOW LINE. Battn HQ marched to rlwy cutting at W.23.a.8.1. This operation was rendered increasingly difficult owing to thick fog and enemy gas shelling. Coys established themselves in their positions soon after 7am though stragglers continued to report until 10am Disposition "C" Coy with 1st Bn Lincolnshire Regt 3 Coys in YELLOW LINE with left Coy resting on rlwy at W.23 central and the right Coy at approx W.18 central, Bn HQ at railway cutting at W.23.a.8.1. These positions were maintained all day against repeated attacks by the enemy. About 12 noon a party of the enemy succeeded in getting round the left flank under cover of a sunken road at W.18.c.9.2. This party was engaged by HQ and a gun team of the Machine Gun Bn. A number were killed and the remainder (about 50) surrendered. The next day they were ordered to retire to Heudicourt when the enemy penetrated EPEHY.
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