The Somme Remembered – 1st July 1916

Frederick Arthur Churchyard – In 1901 Frederick was seven years old, the son of Arthur and Emma Churchyard of Bruisyard, Suffolk.  Arthur worked as an Ag. Lab. on a local farm, while Frederick and his elder sister Mabel,  attended school.  Their younger brother, Leslie, was only one at the time.  The family at the time lived on The Street, Bruisyard, a small village which seems to mainly consist of a hall, a collection of houses and a few farms.

Ten years later the family had grown with eight children being born to Emma, all of which were alive to be included in the census, with the ages ranging from 17 down to eight months.  Arthur and Emma had been married 19 years and he now was a yardsman at a local farm, while Frederick worked as a milkman on a farm – possibly the same farm his father worked on.  Also, living in the house was Samuel Crisp, a widow, who in the previous census lived next door to the Churchyard family. It appears that when looking at Mr Crisp’s place of birth it is the same as Emma Churchyard.  A quick look at FREEBMD for Arthur and Emma’s marriage (Dec. Qtr. 1891), and it appears that Emma’s maiden name was Crisp.  Home for the extended family of 10, must have been quite a good size as it consisted of nine rooms – Emma, who completed the census form, wrote in the ‘number of rooms’ box, that her house had six bedrooms and three sitting rooms.

The war, which was supposed to end all wars, started and Frederick enlisted in Ipswich.  He became Private 14702 in the Suffolk Regiment and entered France in July 1915.

The Suffolk Regiment 8th Btn., had been raised in Bury St. Edmunds the month following the outbreak of war as part of Kitchener’s New Army.  The Division moved to Salisbury Plain in May of 1915 and by July were on their way to France.  In 1916 the regiment saw action on The Somme including the Battle of Albert and the Battle of Thiepval Ridge.

Frederick was Killed in Action on Saturday, 1st of July 1916 and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A, along with over 72240 other casualties of war whose final resting place is known only unto their God.

St Peter’s Church, Bruisyard war memorial via lives of WW1

Frederick is also remembered on the war memorial in St Peter’s Church, Bruisyard along with six others who died during WW1 and two who died in WW2.

Emma, in the latter part of 1916 was sent £4 15s from the War Office, with a further £8 10s in September 1919.