G/34601, Private, Robert RUTTERFORD
Age 35
Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), 4th Battalion
Killed in Action on Wednesday 16th August 1916
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Born in Lakenheath (Mildenhall Q2-1881 4A:632)
1891 census...Aged 10, the second son, he was living at High Street, Lakenheath with his father- Robert RUTTERFORD [40] warrener, born Lakenheath; mother Priscilla (née KENT) [32] born Wangford; brother- George [12] born Lakenheath, sister- Julia [7] born Lakenheath; sister- Mildred [3]; and uncle James RUTTERFORD [55]. 1901 census... Aged 20 single, a warrener, still in High Street, Lakenheath with his parents (father now on relief),brother George, also a warrener, sister Mildred and new siblings; sisters Sarah [9], Ethel [7], Martha [4] and brother William [2], all born in Lakenheath. 1911 census...Aged 30, single, warrener/keeper, still living at High Street, Lakenheath with his parents (father now a warrener again), brothers George and William, and sisters Ethel and Martha. All the children were surviving. The address at Robert death was 8 High Street, Lakenheath. His father died in 1916. |
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He enlisted in Newmarket. From "The Royal Fusiliers in the Great War" H. C. O'NEILL, O.B.E. we have:- On the 15th August 1916 the 4th Royal Fusiliers took over trenches facing the southern corner of Guillemont with the 1st battalion only 1,000 yards to their rear. Attacking on the 16th, with the 24th Div. on their left and the King's Liverpools on their right,led by X and Z companies, they encountered very heavy machine gun fire . Both company commanders were killed as they crossed the parapet and before long every officer had been killed or wounded and there were 160 OR casualties. The badly weakened unit were left to hold the original front line under heavy bombardment. Only 7 out of the 4th battalion's 44 killed that day have identified graves. The Bury Free Press of 13th January 1917 reported:- LAKENHEATH MAN MISSING We have to record that another Lakenheath soldier has been wounded and reported as missing. Prvt.Robt Rutterford 34601, Royal Fusiliers, who is reported to have been missing since August 16th last year. His mother Mrs. Robt Rutterford, High Street, after waiting for a letter from him, made enquiries, and received letters from his Commanding Officer and from Private Frank Noble, a comrade, who states he saw Prvt Rutterford wounded and removed to the dressing station. Mrs. Rutterford has made further enquiries, but is still without information as to whether her son is living or not. Any information any comrade or other person can furnish her with will be very gratefully received. The same newspaper reported his death in their 28th July 1917 issue
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