No.42753, Private, William ROLFE
Aged 26
William Rolfe was born in Little Saxham on 14th September 1891 according to Army forms, but registered 3rd qtr 1890 Bury St.Edmunds 4a:648
son of Emma ROLFE.
1891 census...Aged 6 months, he was a visitor at 10 Reed's Buildings, Bury St.Edmunds with Susannah ALDERTON and her children. One record gives his place of birth as Garland Street Baptist Chapel, Bury St.Edmunds but the birth certificate has mother as Emma ROLFE a domestic servant and birth on 14th September 1890 at 10 Reed's Buildings, Chalk Lane, Bury St. Edmunds, Informant S ALDERTON on 28th October. 1901 census...Aged 10, he was with his widowed grandmother Sarah ROLFE [58] born Saxham; uncle Robert ROLFE [28] farm labourer born Saxham 1911 census...Aged 21, a farm labourer, he was in Little Saxham with his grandmother Sarah ROLFE In 1919 the Army had his mother at 3 Toftwood, East Dereham, and in 1920 she was c/o Miss Jarred, Rose Cottages, South Green, East Dereham. The pension card causes more confusion, introducing another Army number and having Sarah Rolfe in Dereham as his grandmother
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He attested in Bury St.Edmunds on 20th November 1915, giving his date of birth as 14th September 1891, a single labourer from Little Saxham.
Next of kin his mother Sarah. Height 5 feet 5.5 inches, chest 32 to 35 inches, weighing 119 lbs, Church of England. Initially in Suffolk Regiment No.24450, then 2nd/6th Essex Regiment 6968,(17/4/1916) before transfer to the Durham Light Infantry. Posted to 6th Bn and the BEF on 28th August 1916, then to 14th Bn on 16th September 1916. Army form 5090 (living full blood relatives) (28/8/1919) records his grandmother Sarah Rolfe of Little Saxham, uncle Robert Rolfe (Little Saxham), William Rolfe (Haverhill) and aunt Annie Sillitoe (Halstead). Also annotated that Willie was raised by Emily Rolfe, wife of Robert Rolfe. Another completed 5080 by his mother ? on 16th June 1920 has father dead, mother ? Sarah at South Green, East Dereham, brother Robert [49] in Little Saxham and Frederick [51] in Haverhill; sisters Emma Jarred [45] at South Green, East Dereham and Annie Sillitoe [47] at Halstead. The battalion were operating around Longueval and Geudecourt. The war diary unfortunately details a successful attack on the night of the 11th/12th October but does not locate it.
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