No.3/9287, Private, Herbert James SPALDING
Aged 17
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Herbert Spalding was born in 1898 (Bury St Edmunds Q2-1898 4A:823), son of Martha Spalding.
1901 census...Aged 2, he was at Village Street, Hengrave with his widower grandfather Richard SPALDING [76] born Flempton; uncle William SPALDING [35] farm labourer born Hengrave and mother Martha SPALDING [29] born Hengrave. 1911 census...Aged 11, he was at Stanchell's Farm, Hengrave with his uncle and aunt, William and Rose SPALDING. His grandfather Richard SPALDING had died in 1902 and his mother has not been traced. Records of his birth vary from Hengrave, Fornham and Bury St Edmunds but as his registration was in Bury St Edmunds, any of these could be the place. |
| He enlisted in Bury St Edmunds. Register of Soldiers Personal Effects give no family member as legatee. His medal index card records his medals were
returned unclaimed, a truly forgotten man it seems.
The battalion were in trenches at St Eloi. One map reference puts them in the present town centre. Part of the trench line was still held by the Germans and a bombing party was sent to clear them out but a barricade and heavy machine gun fire foiled them. Casualties on the 30th were 9 killed. |
photo: Rodney Gibson
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