No.14842, Private, James BASSETT
Aged 31
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James Bassett was born in 1885, (Newmarket Q4-1885 3B:543), baptised in St. Peter's, Moulton on 13th December 1885, the son of William and Harriet
BASSETT (née SWAN).
1891 census...Aged 5, he was at Brookside, Moulton, with his father William [50] domestic gardener; his mother Harriet [48] born Dalham; brothers William [19] farm labourer and Robert [13] farm labourer and sisters Jane [16], Bertha [11] and Beatrice [8]. All, except his mother, were born in Moulton. He also had a sister, Minnie [20] born in Dalham who was a cook at Moulton Hall. 1901 census...Aged 15, a labourer, he was still at Brookside, Moulton with his father, sister Beatrice and sister Bertha and her husband George NUNN [21] labourer, born Chippenham. His mother at Folly Hill, Moulton, visiting his brother William (a horsekeeper/groom) and his wife Laura [30] born Ashley and their infant son [3 weeks] born Moulton. 1911 census...Aged 25, he was still at No.5 Brookside with his parents and sister Beatrice Emma and her husband Robert Sargent [27] a labourer born in Gazeley. All seven children still survived. James worked as a road repairer. It was a Mr W Bassett of 6 Ravenswood Road, Duppas Hill, Croydon named on the CWGC headstone forms, probably his brother William. No pension card has been found |
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He enlisted in Newmarket. CWGC on the first grave form, when his body (identified by his disc) was found at 28.D.28.a.10.85 had him in the 8th Suffolks ( as does his medal index card). However this is crossed out and 2nd Battalion inserted on the graves concentration form in 1925. The register entry has him in 'B' Company, 2nd Suffolk. The 2nd Suffolks, on 26th September 1917, were part of the 2nd and 5th Armies attack on a six mile front between St Julien and Tower Hamlets, the 2nd Suffolks being part of 5 Corps which advanced towards Zonnebeke. At 0530 they moved forward in thick mist which prevented visual signalling. Starting in support the 8th King's Own, their orders were to pass through them at the first objective. The 2nd Suffolk captured the village of Zonnebeke, withstanding a counter attack in the evening which forced the line back a distance and left their flank exposed. This was to be their last time in the Ypres salient. 37 men died that day, but the battalion suffered around 260 casualties in the 4 days of fighting. James was found, as shown below, identified by his disc, presumably when the centre of Zonnebeke was being re-built. He was re-interred in 1925.
photo: Rodney Gibson click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
