HALLS, Oliver Jim


No.240763, Private, Oliver James HALLS
Aged 19


11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
formerly 2810, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on/since Friday, 22nd March 1918


Born Oliver Jim in 1898 in Bury St.Edmunds (3th qtr 4a:831), son of Frederick William and Alice Emily HALLS (née BAKER)

1901 census...Aged 2 he was at 6 Bridewell Lane, Bury St.Edmunds with his father Frederick HALLS [41 brewery carter, born Bradfield St Clare; his mother Alice E [35] born Thurston, sisters Lily May [24], Eleanor [5] and Violet V [1 month] ; brother Frederick [9]. All the children were born in Bury St.Edmunds.

1911 census...Aged 12, he was at 1 Raingate Street, Bury St.Edmunds with his parents and sisters Violet Victoria, Ivy Alexandria [8] and Vera Joan [5].

On the pension card his parents had moved to 39 Southgate Street, Bury St.Edmunds


He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds.
Oliver was killed on the 2nd day of the Kaiserschlacht, the German Spring Offensive.
The 11th Suffolks were in the Sensee valley and by nightfall on the 21st the Germans had broken through to St Leger. The enemy continued to advance and the battalion were ordered to withdraw from Croiselle front line which had been the old Hindenburg support line. The engineers endeavoured to destroy the tunnels. From dawn to dusk on the 22nd the 11th Suffolks strove to defend Henin Hill but at dusk they began to give way and battalion HQ and 2 companies fell back to the 3rd line just in front of Boyelles.

The 11th Suffolks had 50 killed that day and none has an identified grave, all are named on the Arras Memorial.





photo C.W.G.C.


Oliver Halls in commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Faubourg d'Amiens bay 4

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


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