No.12843, Private, Elijah BEETON
Aged 20
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Elijah Beeton was born in Soham on 23rd February 1896 (Newmarket Q1-1896 3B:510), baptised in Soham on 23rd February 1896, son of William and Jane
BEETON (née GILBY).
1901 census...Aged 5, he was at The Piece, Soham with his father William BEETON [36] farm labourer; his mother Jane [32], brothers Herbert (farm labourer) and Arthur, and sister Florence E [7]. All were born in Soham. 1911 census...Aged 15 a farm labourer, he was at Mereside, Soham with his parents, brothers Arthur and Herbert(farm labourers) and William [4] born Soham, and sister Florence Elizabeth. Jane had borne 8 children but 3 had died. The pension card for the brothers has their parents at Leap Year Cottage, The Piece, Soham. His elder brother Arthur was killed in 1917 in France. see here |
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He enlisted in Newmarket. "The History of the Suffolk Regiment" by Lt.Col. Murphy relates:- The third day of the Somme, the 7th Suffolks took part in a frontal attack at Ovillers (a few miles east of Albert). Zero hour was 03:15 am but the battalion attacked in 8 successive waves starting ten minutes earlier. They got as far as the enemies third line, some even getting into the village. Then communications were lost and the Germans managed to cut them off. Stiff resistance led the attack being brought to a standstill. All of the Company commanders had been killed. In all there were over 400 casualties, 156 being killed of which 112 have no known grave. many men from the Newmarket area fell that day. Local press report:- After a lapse of twelve months Mr.and Mrs. Wm. Beeton of Leap Year Cottages, Mereside, have received an official notification from the War Office to the effect that their son, Pte E. Beeton, Suffolk Regt., previously reported missing, was killed in action on July 3rd 1916.
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