No. 29873, Private, David WEBBER
Aged 38
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David Webber was born in Isleham (Newmarket Q1-1879 3B:576) son of Elizabeth WEBBER.
1881 census... Aged 2 he was at Waterside Drove, Isleham with his grandfather, widower John Webber [64] a general labourer, born Isleham; his aunt Ann WEBBER [25], cousin John W JOHNSON[12] all born in Isleham. His mother Elizabeth married Thomas DIVER in Q4-1881. 1891 census... Aged 12, as David DIVER, he is in Freckenham with stepfather Thomas DIVER [35] agricultural labourer, born Freckenham, his mother Elizabeth [31] born Isleham and half sisters Florence DIVER [8] and Lily DIVER [9 months] both born in Freckenham. 1901 census... Aged 22, single, farm labourer, he was at Mortimers Lane, Freckenham with his step-father and his mother. 1911 census... Aged 32, he was in Freckenham with his step father, his mother, and Thomas' grand-daughter Dorris [9] the relationships shown here are as recorded in the census. The pension card has his mother, Mrs Elizabeth DIVER at Home Farm. Freckenham. |
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He enlisted in Newmarket. From the war diaries if the Wiltshire Regiment we have :- "Monday 9th April 1917 France, Trenches At 1.30a.m. a party of 100 Other Ranks of "D" Company under the command of Lieut FRISBY went forward to attack the MILL near the HENIN - NEUVILLE VITASSE ROAD. The attack met with considerable resistance, and the attackers were forced to retire, having sustained heavy casualties. Lieut N FRISBY was wounded and Lieut SR PARSONS killed, and 35 Other Ranks became casualties. Lieut BEARNE and one platoon moved forward to cover the retirement. It was ascertained from prisoners taken later that the garrison of this MILL was at the time of the attack 120 Other Ranks and 2 machine guns. At 5.30am the main attack on the HINDENBURG LINE commenced. NEUVILLE VITASSE and ST MARTIN - sur - COJEUL, the villages on our flanks, were captured, and at 11.38am the 21st Brigade attacked with the 2nd Wiltshire Regt on the right, the 18th King's (Liverpool) Regt on the left, and the 19th Manchester Regt in support. The distance between the assembly positions of this Battalion and their objective varied between 2,000 and 2,400 yards. The Battalion advanced in artillery formation, the first wave being composed of "A" company on the right and "B" company on the left, the second wave was composed of "C" company on the right and "D" company on the left, each wave consisting of 2 lines of 2 platoons per company. Considerable hostile shelling was experienced throughout the advance, which became intense as it proceeded, causing heavy casualties before the attackers came in sight of their objective. To reach the objective (namely the HINDENBURG LINE) two sunken roads had to be crossed, at which considerable resistance was offered but was soon overcome, a machine gun and several prisoners being captured on the first. Between the first and second sunken roads the attackers came under fire from several machine guns, which together with the shelling formed a considerable barrage. The advance continued up to the enemy's wire, but by this time the ranks of the attackers were considerably depleted. The wire was found to be damaged but not cut sufficiently to allow troops to enter the trenches. The few unwounded men left took cover in all available shell holes, but eventually had to retire to the sunken road running from NEUVILLE VITASSE to ST MARTIN - sur - COJEUL, where they dug in on the EASTERN BANK. The enemy's artillery immediately commenced to shell this road heavily with shells of large calibre, causing further casualties. By this time most of the officers had become casualties, only three remaining, 2/Lieuts HC CLARK, FJ LONDON, and TW GLYNN. These officers collected all the unwounded men, 90 in all, and consolidated the position. Some little time afterwards two companies of the 19th Manchester Regt arrived in support, and also dug in on the same road. This position was held until the evening, when two companies of the 16th Manchesters came up and took over the position. After relief the remnants of the Battalion marched back to SWITCH LANE, South of MERCATEL. The total casualties sustained by the Battalion in the attack, not counting those previously sustained in the attack on the MILL, was Captains 2, Subalterns 12, Other ranks 328." |
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