West Row, Suffolk and the Centenary.

[Ellen1914]

I was just wondering if anyone one the forum had any information about West Row or the boys who went off to war from the village. I would like to write another book on the conflict so I am trying to gather pictures, stories, letters and general information. If anyone has any then that would be a huge help.

Kindest Regards,

Ellen.

[KevinBattle]

Whilst I don't want to take away the pleasure of your research for another book, these are the CWGC entries with a West Row connection:-

BALLS, FREDERICK JAMES. Rank: Gunner. Service No: 67517. Date of Death: 23/08/1918. Age: 27.

Regiment/Service: Royal Field Artillery. 25th Div. Amm. Col.

Grave Reference: Sp. Mem. No. 16. Cemetery: CHAUNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY BRITISH EXTENSION

Additional Information: Son of James and Ruth Balls, of West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

BALLS, JOHN. Rank: Private. Service No: 60196. Date of Death: 22/02/1918. Age: 19.

Regiment/Service: West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own). 2nd Bn.

Panel Reference: Panel 42 to 47 and 162. Memorial: TYNE COT MEMORIAL

Additional Information: Son of James and Ruth Balls, of West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

BOWLES, HARRY. Rank: Private. Service No: 10762. Date of Death: 24/03/1916. Age: 33.

Regiment/Service: Manchester Regiment. 18th Bn.

Grave Reference: Plot I. Row E. Grave 29. Cemetery: CORBIE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Additional Information: Son of Harry and Charlotte Bowles, of 12, Turnerson St., New Park Rd., Salford, Manchester; husband of Mabel Bowles, of Pott Hall, West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

FORD, ADOLPHUS WILLIAM. Rank: Private. Service No: M/283971. Date of Death: 03/07/1918. Age: 20.

Regiment/Service: Army Service Corps.

Grave Reference: In far right corner. Cemetery: WEST ROW BAPTIST CHAPELYARD

Additional Information: Son of William James and Sussanah Ford.

FORD, I. Rank: Private. Service No: 722971. Date of Death: 14/10/1918.

Regiment/Service: London Regiment. 24th Bn.

Grave Reference: V. G. 30. Cemetery: ESTAIRES COMMUNAL CEMETERY AND EXTENSION

Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. N. Ford, of The Green, West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

FORD, W. Rank: Lance Corporal. Service No: 13706. Date of Death: 13/09/1916. Age: 20.

Regiment/Service: Suffolk Regiment. 9th Bn.

Grave Reference: X. C. 1. Cemetery: GUILLEMONT ROAD CEMETERY, GUILLEMONT

Additional Information: Son of Alfred Ford, of West Row Fen, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

FROST, WILLIAM JOHN. Rank: Private. Service No: 11927. Date of Death: 19/08/1917. Age: 20.

Regiment/Service: The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 10th Bn.

Grave Reference: I. D. 20. Cemetery: GODEWAERSVELDE BRITISH CEMETERY

Additional Information: Son of John and Caroline Frost, of West Row Green, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

HALLS, W. Rank: Drummer. Service No: 13701. Date of Death: 30/11/1917. Age: 32.

Regiment/Service: Suffolk Regiment. 9th Bn.

Grave Reference: Right of chapel. Cemetery: WEST ROW BAPTIST CHAPELYARD

Additional Information: Son of James and Jane Halls, of 141, Church Road, West Row, Suffolk.

KING, ARTHUR. Rank: Private. Service No: 24878. Date of Death: Between 09/04/1918 and 19/04/1918. Age: 22.

Regiment/Service: Suffolk Regiment. "A" Coy. 11th Bn.

Panel Reference: Panel 3. Memorial: PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL

Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter King, of Pot Hall, West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

KING, CHARLES WALTER. Rank: Sapper. Service No: 171236. Date of Death: 10/02/1919. Age: 45.

Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers. "G" Depot Coy.

Grave Reference: VI. E. 4. Cemetery: BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY

Additional Information: Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

Son of Stephen and the late Rose King; husband of Edith Mary King, of 123, Stanhope St., Euston Rd., London.

Native of West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk. Served in the South African Campaign.

LEONARD, G. Rank: Private. Service No: 13668. Date of Death: 30/08/1918. Age: 27.

Regiment/Service: Suffolk Regiment. 2nd Bn.

Grave Reference: A. 56. Cemetery: ECOUST-ST. MEIN BRITISH CEMETERY

Additional Information: Brother of Miss Sarah Leonard, of West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

RIX, ERNEST. Rank: Private. Service No: 13707. Date of Death: 16/09/1916. Age: 21.

Regiment/Service: Suffolk Regiment. 9th Bn.

Panel Reference: Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A. Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

Additional Information: Son of Robert William and Eleanor Carola Rix, of West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

RUMBELOW, ARTHUR. Rank: Private. Service No: 13722. Date of Death: 07/12/1918. Age: 21.

Regiment/Service: Suffolk Regiment. 9th Bn.

Grave Reference: Cemetery WEST ROW BAPTIST CHAPELYARD

Additional Information: Son Alice Rumbelow, of West Row, Suffolk.

SMITH, JAMES DAVID. Rank: Private. Service No: 12114. Date of Death: 30/11/1917. Age: 22.

Regiment/Service: Suffolk Regiment. 7th Bn.

Panel Reference: Panel 4. Memorial: CAMBRAI MEMORIAL, LOUVERVAL

Additional Information: Son of Joseph and Emma Smith, of Chapel Rd., West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

TAYLOR, C. Rank: Gunner. Service No: 67516. Date of Death: 28/07/1917.

Regiment/Service: Royal Field Artillery. "A" Bty. 110th Bde.

Grave Reference: II. B. 3. Cemetery: BRANDHOEK NEW MILITARY CEMETERY

Additional Information: Son of Emma Taylor, of nr. Church, West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

THOMPSON, A. Rank: Private. Service No: 13703. Date of Death: 29/05/1916. Age: 22.

Regiment/Service: Suffolk Regiment. 9th Bn.

Grave Reference: V. D. 13A. Cemetery: ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY

Additional Information: Son of Georgina Norman, of Chapel Square, West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk. Native of West Row.

TURNER, ALBERT. Rank: Private. Service No: 39619. Date of Death: 16/03/1918. Age: 27.

Regiment/Service: Bedfordshire Regiment. 4th Bn.

Panel Reference: Bay 5. Memorial: ARRAS MEMORIAL

Additional Information: Son of Mrs. Charlotte Coe, of Ferry Corner, West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

WEBB, ALBERT EDWARD. Rank: Private. Service No: 22744. Date of Death: 24/04/1918. Age: 29.

Regiment/Service: Northamptonshire Regiment. 2nd Bn.

Panel Reference: Panel 54 to 56. Memorial: POZIERES MEMORIAL

Additional Information: Son of Henry Webb; husband of Ellen Elizabeth Webb, of West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

WELLS, ROBERT. Rank: Lance Corporal. Service No: 13990. Date of Death: 11/12/1916. Age: 31.

Regiment/Service: Suffolk Regiment. Depot

Grave Reference: Parish Council ground. Cemetery: ISLEHAM CEMETERY

Additional Information: Son of Elijah and Ann Wells, of The Sluice, West Row Fen, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

Not only do you also have many WW2 RAF burials in your own Churchyard (which I assume you "adopt"?) there is:-

NORMAN, ADOLPHUS WILFRED. Rank: Sergeant. Service No: 904840. Date of Death: 25/11/1940. Age: 20.

Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 101 Sqdn.

Panel Reference: Panel 18. Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Additional Information: Son of Lewis and Bessie Florence Norman, of West Row, Suffolk.

Is this site yours?

http://www.suffolksoldiers.com/westrow.php

It appears much of the research has already been done, acknowledging the GWF contribution...

1914 - 1918

Benjamin Aves

Richard Aves

Frederick Balls

John Balls

Samuel Bassett

Arthur Brown

Abram Clarke

Claud Cobbold

Jack G Crick

Walter Ford

Isaac Ford

Adolphus W Ford

William J Frost

Walter Halls

Arthur J Hayes

George Ingle

Charles King

Arthur W King

George Leonard

William Mendham

Percy G Mendham

Herbert W Morley

Henry Palmer

Frederick Prentice

Sims Reeve

Ernest Rix

Arthur Rumbelow

James D Smith

James W Stone

Arthur Stone

Charles Taylor

Alfred Thompson

Albert Turner

Moore Webb

Robert Wells

1939 - 1945

William Carpenter

Alan Edwards

Reginald Isaacson

Wilfred King

Robert Mendham

Adolphus W Norman

Pelham Rolfe

Horace Smith

Harold Fleming

I don't know if this has therefore been posted previously on GWF?

Incidentally, looks as if the 9th Battalion had a large number of village lads enlist at the same time (137xx Numbers)

Is there a story there, as to why/how they all enlisted together?

[redescort]

Kevin

Suffolk Soldiers is my site which I need to update too much to do not enough time.

Regards

Ray

Ellen

If I can be any help to you send me a PM.

Regards

Ray

[KevinBattle]

Ray

Hi, I now see you and sdotonmate have already supplied Ellen with all the info.

I didn't realise that at the time I posted.

Ellen:

Have you spoken to Una Jenkins on her WW2 memories?

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/features_2_483/a_suffolk_girl_s_war_1_1128000

[Ellen1914]

Yeah, Una is a relative of mine. I have a lot of the general info on the men who died but I would also like to see some of the personal tales and things like that and maybe letters to and from family. Pics would be great as I would like to do a book like Aunty Unas but about West Row and the great war.