35419, Lance Corporal, Edward Sidney HAMMOND
Aged 19


12th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
(enlisted as No.2596, Suffolk Regiment
Died of his Wounds on Friday 29th September 1916

Born in Newmarket in Q3-1897 [Newmarket 3b:507], baptised Ashley cum Silverley on 29th August 1897, 3rd of 4 sons of Sidney Julius and Sarah Jane HAMMOND (née LEACH) of 88 St Philips Road, Newmarket.

1901 census...Edward [3] was at 88 St Philips Road, Newmarket with his father Sidney J[37], a grocers assistant, born Ipswich; his mother Sarah [38] born Upend, and his brothers Frederick H [12]; Robert E [6] and William J [2] all born Newmarket, plus his sisters Maude E [14] born Lidgate; Lily M [10] and Blanche [7] both Newmarket born.

1911 census...Edward [13] was still at 88 St Philips Road, with his parents, brothers Frederick Henry, a clerk; Robert Ernest, a clerk and William John, a scholar. In addition there was his sisters Blanche and Violet Maud [4] born Newmarket. One child had died.

The pension card has his father at 88 St Philips Road still. The card also records William as 115685, Private in 12th Northumberland Fusiliers but a note from Regions, states "no trace of William" and William is not mentioned on CWGC.

His entry in "Our Exning Heroes" reads:
"Born in 1897, at Exning Road, educated at St. Mary's School, he worked at Messrs. Lang and Co's when war broke out. He at once joined Kitchener's Army, in the Suffolks, when only seventeen and a half, and went to France the following year, and for twelve months took part in various engagements. Then on the Somme, in September, 1916, he received very severe wounds, from which he died on admittance to hospital.
He was a regular attendant at St. Philip's Church and Sunday School, also taking part in various parochial organisations."


He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds
The 34th and 22nd London C.C.S. were at Meaulte in September 1916. The battalion arrived in France on 1st September 1916 and were at Pommiers Redoubt via Fricourt on the 16th. At 9 p.m. they moved up to relieve battalions of 43rd Brigade in forward positions east of Flers (Switch and Gap Trenches). Relieved by 9th K.O.Y .L.I. they went to bivouacs just north-west of Bernafay Wood on the 22nd and on to Fricourt Camp via Montauban and Mametz on the 23rd. Then into Reserves at Bernafay Wood on the 25th. Under orders of 64th Brigade moved forward to trenches east of Flers on the 26th. No way of knowing at present when or where Edward received his wound. Even if no actions were taking place, simple tasks such as carrying rations, re building trenches, etc was still hazardous and enemy snipers added to the kills registered by the artillery





Sadly the lettering was almost invisible to the naked eye on most headstones in this cemetery. Chemical spraying seems to be tasking place to alleviate this (2017)


photo: Rodney Gibson


Edward is buried in Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte, France Ref:I.K.28
and is also commemorated on the Roll of Honour in St Philip & St Etheldreda's Church, Exning Road.
and his parents headstone in Newmarket cemetery (H613A)

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


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