No.43131, Private, Bertram George HOOK [COBBOLD]
Aged 19
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Born in 1897 in Rougham (2nd qtr Thingoe 4a:784) son of Alice COBBOLD. His mother married George Bertram HOOK in 4th qtr 1898. Bertram was "COBBOLD"
when civilian, but the Army have him as "HOOK".
1901 census...Aged 4, he was at 9 Peckham Street, Bury St.Edmunds with widowed great aunt Eliza HAMMOND [72] born Bury St.Edmunds; his stepfather George B HOOK [21] bricklayer born Soham; his mother Alice HOOK [28], born Rougham; sister Annie E COBBOLD [5] born Rougham and half brother Edward J HOOK [1] born Bury St.Edmunds 1911 census...Aged 14, he was still at 9 Peckham Street, with his parents; half brother Edward James HOOK; and half sisters Margaret Eliza, [9], Mildred Alice [6] and Florence Dorothy [1] All the HOOK children were born in Bury St.Edmunds. |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds. The 7th Suffolk were in the front line, prepared to attack BAYONET TRENCH and LUISENHOFF FARM, it was a quiet morning and by 5am the battalion was lying in shell holes in front, ready. Major Henty went to forward HQ in GRASS STREET to get reports at 10 am. At 2 pm the attack started, the German barrage was very intense. The battalion advanced in four waves, each company with a platoon front. No definite report was made until 6 pm when the battalion was back in front line, having failed to reach its objective. 'B' and 'D' Coys had reached their objective but were driven back by superior numbers. 1st Essex on the right gained their objective but were unable to hold it, finally they managed keep a part of it. The Battalion withdrew to Reserve in FLERS TRENCH. Lt Col Murphy, in his "History of the Suffolk Regiment" records that over 500 men became casualties, due in part to uncut wire and to an ineffective barrage. One officer had been buried twice before zero hour and all the officers that went over the top were casualties. CWGC puts the dead at 104.
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
