INCE, Claude Edwin S



No.146535, Private, Claude E S INCE
Aged 18


34th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
formerly 6195, Essex Regiment ("Soldiers Died")
formerly 34417, Middlesex Regiment (medal card)
Killed in Action on Thursday, 25th July 1918


Claude Edwin S Ince was born in Cavendish (Sudbury Q4-1899 4S:832), son of John and Emma INCE (née BYFORD).

1901 census...Aged 1, he was at Peacocks Road, Cavendish with his mother Emma INCE [47], born Foxearth, Essex; brothers Fred [13] labourer in maltings, Arthur [12], Osborne [7] and Hubert [5]; sisters Eva [10] and Lizzie [9]. All the children were born in Cavendish.
His father had died in 1900

1911 census...Aged 11, he was still at Peacocks Road, Cavendish with his widowed mother, sisters Bertha [27] and Lizzie, brother Hubert; cousin Eric Stanley INCE [2] born Cavendish. There were also 3 children from Dr Barnado Home, Jeffrey Harold LAZARUS [7], William PICKNELL and Eliza King ATKINSON [10 months]. Emma had borne 13 children but 4 had died.

The pension card has his mother at Lower Street, Cavendish.


He enlisted in Colchester
The 34th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps at the time was part of the British 34th Division, which in turn was under command by the French Army. The front they were attacking was a line between Bois de Curjenne and Hartennes-et-Taux (almost due south of Soissons).

Villemontoire is connected entirely with the victorious advance of the 15th (Scottish) and 34th Divisions, under French leadership, in the period from the 23rd July to the 2nd August 1918.

Claud was initially buried at Map ref 33 Soissons 178-8-x 282-4 , sorry no further information, so unable to say which of the smaller cemeteries that was. Several were concentrated to Raperie after the war.
There is confusion as the date of his death, the CWGC records of concentration and grave register report both give 23rd July, the graves register and headstone schedule both give 25th. The "Soldiers Personal Effects" entry says "Accepted on 25th July". Most records do show 25th July 1918 however.



photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission



Claud Ince is now buried in Raperie British Cemetery, Villemontoire, grave 1A:D:7.

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


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