No.201831, Private, William Herbert FULCHER
Aged 25
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William Herbert Fulcher was born in Lawshall (2nd qtr 1891 Sudbury 4a:760) son of Walter and Elizabeth FULCHER (née FROST).
The memorial and pension card seem to be the only places where he is Herbert.
1901 census...Aged 10, he was at Chapel Road, Whepstead with his father Walter FULCHER [52] wheelwright/carpenter born Lawshall; his mother Elizabeth [48] born Wickhambrook; brothers Walter [18] and Arthur [17] both farm labourers born Whepstead. 1911 census...Aged 19, labourer, he was at Brockley Road, Whepstead with his parents and brother Arthur. On the pension card his mother was at Bury Road, Lawshall |
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He enlisted in Sudbury.
War Diary has :- The battalion took part in a general assault on the German position, their objective being the front and support trenches of the Hindenburg Line as far as the SENSEE RIVER, a distance of about 2,300 yards. C Coy supported by D were to work down the front line on the night and A supported by B up the support line on the left. (list of officers taking part...). After artillery preparation the advance commenced at 4:45 am. A and B Coys worked up the support trench, meeting with a great deal of opposition of all sorts until reaching the second sunken road about 200 yard short of their objective at 6:30 am. Here they were met with flamenwerfer, rifle and MG fire and helds up. They maintained themselves there till 9:30 am when the enemy counter-attacked strongly and being much in advance of the troops on both flanks wee compelled to withdraw to their original starting point or be cut off. C and D Coys advancing up the front line trench with the assistance of one tank also met with considerable opposition but reached the sunken road about 9:30 am and remained till 2pm when the counter-attack and the enemy in the trench behind made it necessary to quit the trench and retire over the open ground to the south, re-entering the trench in rear of their original barricade. They joined HQ at 5:3 pm During the night we were relieved by the 1st Cameronians and when moving back out of the trenches learnt that the enemy had retired and the ground seized by us the day before had been occupied. In the course of the action we captured about 650 unwounded prisoners, five machine guns and one trench mortar. Our casualties were:- 1 officer and 41 OR killed, 9 officers and 160 OR wounded, missing 104 OR.
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