BALLARD, William



No.8191, Lance Corporal, William BALLRD
Aged 23


1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on Thursday, 18th February 1915


William Ballard was born in Cavendish (Sudbury Q4-1891 4A:709), son of Charles and Eliza BALLARD (née BROWN)



1901 census...Aged 9, he was at High Street, Cavendish with widowed mother Eliza; brothers Harry (farm labourer) and John; sister Edie [5] born Cavendish.

1911 census...Aged 19, He was at Gibraltar Barracks, Bury St Edmunds a private in the Suffolk Regiment. "near the church" Cavendish were his mother; sister Ada, brother John (general labourer), brother Harry ; niece Olive Tonkin [5] born Erith, Kent (parentage unknown).

The pension card has his mother Eliza at Church Corner, Cavendish.

His brother John was killed serving in Belgium in the Suffolk Regiment later in 1915 see here



He enlisted in the Suffolk Regiment, (from his number) early in 1911.
The battalion were near Chateau Rosendal (now Bedford House Cemetery, 2.5 km from Ypres on the road to Armentieres). They had spent the night in shallow temporary trenches, up to their waists in water. The war diary has:-
"16th Feb - Capt. Yourdain, C Coy sent to relieve "O" trench found two thirds full of Germans, this he reported verbally and asked for more bombs as his had all been expended (O trench had previously been captured from the Middlesex Regt by the Germans but on our taking over they reported that it had been re captured by the Buffs on the night of 15th/16th Feb just before we relieved them) Nothing more was heard from C Coy. Sgt Allan who was sent out ot get touch and reconnoitre and report was killed. 2 Platoons under Capt C.s>Wilson in support by wood on canal was ordered up to make an attack on "O" trench but owing to day having broken it was decided that an attack would be useless owing to machine gun fire. At 11 am Capt Wood-Martin, "N" trench, reported that "O" trench had been captured at dawn by the Germans.
17th Feb- Two Coys Cheshire Regt under orders from Bde HQ endeavoured by a charge to re capture a trench in frot of that held by D Coy, known as "P" trench but owing to strength of German position and machine gun fire failed. The 2nd Northmberland Fusiliers who were waiting for the attack by Cheshire Regt to take place,to make an attack on "O" trench to recapture it did not make the attack
18th Feb - Relieved in trenches by 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers and marched to billets in Kruistraat. Casualties over the 48 hours were 4 officer and 19 OR killed, 4 officers and 53 other ranks wounded, 3 officers and 171 OR missing


CWGC records give 36 of the battalion killed in that period, only 6 having known graves.



photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission



William Ballard is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres, panel 21

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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