16065, Private, Arthur TALBOT
Age 18
Suffolk Regiment, 7th Battalion
Killed in Action on Wednesday 13th October 1915
"Soldiers Died" and Medal Card have his number as 16056
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Born in Lakenheath (Mildenhall Q2-1896 4A:817)
1901 census...Aged 4, he was living at Sandpits, Lakenheath with his father- John TALBOT [45] a farmer; mother- Emma (née GATHERCOLE) [44]; brother- Alfred [22] horseman on farm; brother George [19] farm labourer; brother- Samuel [18] horseman on farm; Sister- Hannah [16]; brother- John [14] helper on farm; sister- Eizabeth [13]; sister- Bertha [8]; sister- Sarah [6] and brother William [2]. All were born in Lakenheath. 1911 census...Aged 14, working on farm, living at Sandpits, Lakenheath with his parents, brothers Alfred, Samuel and William, and sister Sarah and one new brother Fred [8], also born in Lakenheath. His elder brother Alfred died in France in 1918:- see here |
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He enlisted in Bury St Edmunds . The 7th Suffolks were near Noyelles-les -Vermelles, in front of the Quarries on the 13th October 1915. After a heavy bombardment by the British artillery, an attack on the Quarries commenced at 2pm on a front of about a mile. Their objective was two trenches known as the Hairpin, between 15 and 50 yards apart. "B" Coy advanced across the open ground under a smoke screen but when that lifted they came under very heavy machine gun fire. This halted their advance but helped progress in other directions. "A" Coy, led by a bombing party from 7th Suffolks and 7th Norfolks attacked the Hairpin up the left arm and "D" Coy attacked on the right arm. Violent opposition was met and the machine guns were ordered to follow "A" Coy. "D" Coy attack was held up by German bombers at the barrier and soon had only one officer left. They persevered and succeeded in clearing the trench of the enemy. Gradually "A" and "D" Companies were cut off from HQ but managed to force their way up to the edge of the Quarries. Gathering enemy opposition prevented any further advance and they set to, digging a trench connecting the two arms of the Hairpin. After dark a German mortar began to cause trouble, but Lt Deighton managed to contact HQ and the mortar was silenced by one of the heavy batteries. Later they were relieved by the 9th Essex. CWGC records 51 of the 7th Suffolks killed on 13th October 1915 and not one has an identified grave. |
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