BALLARD, John



No.13202, Private, John BALLARD
Aged 25


2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on Thursday, 5th August 1915


John Ballard was born in Cavendish (Sudbury Q3-1889 4A:639), son of Charles and Eliza BALLARD (née BROWN)

CWGC have his mother as Ada, but this appears to be a typo, his Army records show Eliza as do all the census.

1891 census...Aged 1, he was at High Street, Cavendish with his father Charles BALLARD [40] gardener's labourer; his mother Eliza [38]; sisters Lissie [13], Ada [8] and Kate [4]; brother Harry C[6]. All were born in Cavendish

1901 census...Aged 11, he was still at High Street, Cavendish with widowed mother Eliza; brothers Harry (farm labourer) and William [9]; sister Edie [5]. The new siblings born in Cavendish.

1911 census...Aged 21, general labourer,he was "near the Church", Cavendish with his mother; sister Ada, brother Harry ; niece Olive Tonkin [5] born Erith, Kent (parentage unknown).

The pension card has his mother Eliza at Church Corner, Cavendish.

His brother William was killed serving in Belgium in the Suffolk Regiment earlier in 1915 see here



George Argent, John Ballard, John Brown, Jack Johnson, Charles Slater, Frank Underwood and Arthur Wells, from their numbers, seem to have all joined the Suffolks on the same day


The battalion were having a quiet time at Spoilbank, a few kilometres south of Ypres.The war diary simply says 13202 Pt J Ballard killed, one man wounded.



photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission



John Ballard is buried in Spoilbank Cemetery, Villers-au-Bois, grave 7:D:7

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


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