No.43012, Sergeant, Oscar Reginald HAZELL M.M.
Aged 23
Military Medal - War Medal - Victory - Territorial War Medal
11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
formerly 915 Suffolk Cyclists battalion
Killed in Action on/since Wednesday, 9th April 1918
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Born in 1894 (4th qtr Bury St.Edmunds 4a:786) son of Albert Edward and Kate HAZELL (née BAXTER)
1901 census...Aged 6, he was at 35 Bishop's Road, Bury St.Edmunds with his father Albert E HAZELL [27] printer/compositor; his mother Kate V [26];brother Albert W [8]. All were born in Bury St.Edmunds. 1911 census...Aged 15, upholsterer, he was at 4 York Terrace, Bury St.Edmunds with his parents; brothers Albert (grocer's assistant), Jack [4] and Leonard [2]; sister Edith [8]. His mother had borne 7 children but 2 had died. He married Mabel Edith RAYNER [13-7-1896] in St.John's, Bury St.Edmunds in 1918, later of 28 St John's Place, Bury St.Edmunds |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds.
April 8th the battalion was in its asembly area SE of Roclincourt. On 9th, at 5:30 am the barrage opened and the battalion, commanded by Lt Col Kendrick, 600 strong with 20 officers advanced to attack the German line. The 11th were one of two leading Bn of 101st Brigade, checked but no delayed by machine gun fire, they reached their first objective within the allotted time. "A" Coy reported taking the Black Line without loss. Shortly after 8 am Bn HQ were moved to the 2nd German line, establishing in a dug-out, five Bn runners and the orderly room Sgt capturing 20 Germans. Once Blue line had been taken the Bn set to consolidating the position. After dusk they set out to assist the 27th Northumberland Fusiliers but found they had already repulsed the German counter-attack. By the time they moved back to billets in Arras, the Battle of the Scarpe (9 to 14 April) had cost them 150 casualties.
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