4932, Private, Ethelbert OVERTON
Aged 19
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Born in Q4-1895, in West Newton, King's Lynn [Freebridge Lynn 4b:305], to Robert John and Ethel Maud OVERTON (née ALLEN), of
(in 1901) Colby's Yard, Providence Street, South Lynn.
1901 census...Ethelbert [5] was at Colby's Yard with his father Robert HJohn [32], cast iron pipe jointer, born Gaywood, Norfolk; his mother Ethel Maud [27] born West Newton; brothers Robert Henry [3] and Frederick George [3 months], both born in Kings Lynn, and sister Ethel M [1] born Kings Lynn. 1911 census...Ethelbert [15] now a golf caddie, was at 40 Lowther Street , Newmarket with his family which now had Edward Henry [8], and Maud Ethel [3] and Ernest John [1] all born in Newmarket. It appears that his sister Ethel had died in 1902, aged 2. He appears as Edward Overton only on the war memorial. He enlisted in Newmarket. The Newmarket Journal of September 15th 1915 reported his death in Gallipoli. |
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During their assault against the Kiretch Tepe Sirt on 15th August 1915 an observing Staff Officer observed their progress through his binoculars and saw the
battalion's metal flashes glinting yellow in the sun as they doggedly advanced. He remarked "By Jove! If only we had one or two more battalions of those
yellow devils we should be across the peninsular by tommorow". With that, the battalion's nickname - the 'Yellow Devils' - was born. Only 4 of the 21 Bedfordshires killed that day have identified graves, the rest are named on the Helles Memorial The Newmarket Journal of 11th September 1915 reported:- PTE. OVERTON KILLED - A report has been received from Alexandria that Pte. E.Overton of the 5th Beds. was killed in action on August 16th. Pte. Overton was a son of Mr. E.M.Overton, 40 Lowther Street, Newmarket, and enlisted here in the 2/5th Beds Regt, from which he was transferred to the first line battalion." There is a comprehensive report of that battle here |
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