WILLIAM ISAAC WATERS
Image from 1916 Suffolk Chronicle and Mercury newspaper.
Born: 1897, 5, Alan Road, Ipswich.
Died: 13th November 1916; age 19; Died of Wounds – No. 11 Casualty Clearing Station. He was severely wounded in the head, never regaining consciousness, and died shortly after admission to the casualty clearing station.
Residence: 5, Alan Road, Ipswich.
Enlistment Location: Ipswich.
Rank: Private; Service Number; 43802
Regiment: Suffolk Regiment, 2nd Battalion.
Formerly 2480, Suffolk Regiment.
Medals Awarded: Victory & British War.
Grave Reference:
I.E.37.
Somme,
France.
Relatives Notified: Son of Sarah & the late Gaius Waters of Ipswich.
Maternal cousin to CHARLES WILLIAM WEBB and LEONARD AMOS CROOKS WEBB.
CENSUS
1901 5, Alan Road, Ipswich.
William was 3 years old and living with his parents & brother.
Gaius Waters, 42, a Grocer’s Assistant, born Eastbourne, Sussex.
Sarah Waters (nee Webb), 43, born Chelmondiston, Suffolk.
Stephen Waters, 11, born Ipswich.
1911 5, Alan Road, Ipswich.
William was 13 years old a Grocer’s Clerk. He was living with his parents.
Gains, 53, a Grocer’s Assistant.
Sarah, 54.
Soldiers’ Effects to Gaius & Sarah Waters – parents.
William is also remembered on the war memorial’s found at St. Mary at the Quay Church, Ipswich, at Holy Trinity Church, Ipswich, at Alan Road Methodist Church, Ipswich, Holy Trinity Church, the Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies, Orwell Works war memorial. Now sited at The Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket, Suffolk.
Suffolk Regiment, 2nd Battalion
The Battle of Ancre in the Serre sector was the last of the 1916 Battles of the Somme for the 2nd Battalion. The weather had been very poor with flooded trenches, many communication trenches being abandoned. The Battalion was sent into the line on the 6th November for an attack, but was later cancelled through more bad weather and rescheduled for the 10th, this too was canceled. On the night of the 12th the Battalion moved out onto open positions, moving off at 05:00 hrs on the 13th. Moving in extremely muddy conditions making slow progress through “no mans land” taking the first wave 45 minutes to reach the German lines. The weather had given them good cover, but all officers on the first wave were casualties, despite this, the Suffolk’s reach the second line. Holding it the rest of the day the battalion was unable to move more men up through the mud and wire failing to reorganise. The battalion returned back to the line taking 272 casualties.
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