No.4684, Private, Charles HACKETT
Aged 22
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That means I can only record "most likely to be" in many cases for the civilian identity John Charles HACKETT was born 31st Dec 1879 in Bury St.Edmunds (1st qtr 1880 Bury St.Edmunds 4a:415) son of William Vincent and Susan HACKETT (née SPALL) of 26 Church Walk, Bury St.Edmunds. Baptised St.Mary's Bury St.Edmunds on 19th January 1883 1881 census...Aged 1, he was at 26 Church Walk, Bury St.Edmunds with his father William HACKETT [49] journeyman brewer, born Fornham; his mother Susan [36] born Norwich; brothers William [11], Robert [9] and George [4]; sisters Louisa [13], Caroline [6] and Elizabeth [3]. 1891 census...Aged 11, now known as Charles, he was still at 26 Church Walk with his parents; brothers George [15] and James [10]; sisters Elizabeth [13] and Edith E [7] and uncle John HACKETT [58] 1901 census...none found in this census |
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One notable battle with a large loss of Suffolk life was the Battle of Suffolk Hill at Colesberg in Northern Cape on 5th-6th January 1900.
The hill was known as Red or Grassy Hill at the time. The Suffolks were tasked with a night attack on the Boer position on the heights and 354 men (4 companies) set out at midnight under the command of Colonel Watson. Despite vastly out-numbering the Boers, the Suffolks were met with a wall of fire, the Colonel being among the first to fall. When the regiment retired, having failed to reach its objective, 11 officers and over 150 men had been killed, wounded or captured. He died of wounds. He has the Cape Colony clasp on his Queen's South Africa medal http://www.casus-belli.co.uk/index.asp?display=record&soldierid=16498, states Charles was wounded at Colesberg (Suffolk Hill), and that he died there, on 6th Janaury 1900. On 10th January the East Anglian Daily Times had 4684 Private C. Hacket on the list of those missing at Colesberg. The same list was in the Bury Free Press on 13th January 1900
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