61954, Private, William Albert HARPER
Aged 20
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Born William Albert Bixby HARPER in Q2-1898 [Newmarket 3b:519] in Alma Place, Lower Station Road, Newmarket, the son of William John and Laura Ann HARPER
(née BIXBY).
1901 census...William [3] was at Alma Place, Lower Station Road,Newmarket with his father William John[33], a butcher born Barrington, Cambs.; his mother Laura [31] born Long Melford and his sisters Laura Frances [7] and Olive Ursula [4]. All the children were born in Newmarket. 1911 census...William[13] was now at Wellington Street, Newmarket, with his parents and sisters, plus Arthur BIXBY [35], presumably his Uncle. The pension card has the family still in Wellington Street, but moving later to "Barrington", Exning Road. |
photograph courtesy Grant Powter
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He was attested and put on the Reserve list on 17th May 1916, giving his age as 18 yrs 3 months, height 5' 7.75" (172.1 cm) and occupation
as butcher. He was mobilised on 6th October 1916 and sent to Luton Reserve Bridge, Artillery. Transferred to the Cheshire Regiment on 17th
March 1917. Promoted unpaid Lance Corporal 26th January 1918. (it is only the substantive rank that is applied on death). He was missing
and presumed dead on 24th March 1918. The 15th, 16th and 17th Cheshires were some of the Bantam battalions, these were for those who previously were adjudged too small for the Army. For the Bantam Battalions, the minimum height was dropped to 5 feet, but by the time William joined them the height limits had been raised again. His battalion were engaged in the Somme at Maricourt Road on the 24th March 1918, between Albert and Peronne, and the junction of the British and France armies. It was lost in the first day of the battle. The Germans employed over 60 divisions in their spring offensive ( The Kaiserschlacht), against 32 British. It was later reported that the Germans fired 3.5 million shells in a 7 hour barrage on the 21st. General Haig soon correctly surmised the Germans had thrown every available man at them, leaving little in reserve, and hurriedly called in his reserves, but in the initial stages the British were forced back along much of 50-60 miles of front. After considerable British retreats and withdrawals, the Germans were eventually halted in mid April. The British lost 236,000 in this action but deaths were unusually low ( if 20,000 can be called low), most being taken prisoner. The Chesire regiment lost 236 killed on the 24th, of which 54 were from William's 15th battalion. Of those 54 only 8 have known graves, the rest are named on the Pozières Memorial |
photo: Roy Beardsworth Family plot in Newmarket cemetery NG Q:500 
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details