Heroes and Rebels in the Family Tree--Samuel Turner

 Heroes and Rebels in the Family Tree--Samuel Turner

A Private with the 9th Battalion, Samuel died on 20th of November 1917 at the age of 37. 

Samuel was born at Pakefield on January 6, 1880, the last of five children of Robert Turner 1845-1926 and Susannah “Anna” Thacker 1849-1933.  Their children were:

1.      Alice Sophia Turner 1869–1939 m. Samuel James Martin 1861-1915

2.      George William Turner 1871–1938 m. Mary Ann Cook 1873-1942

3.      Robert James Turner 1874–1956 m. Mary Ann Brown 1875-1937

4.      Annie Ada Turner 1877–1961 m. Stephen Henry Martin 1868-1960

5.      Samuel Turner 1880–1917 m. Catherine Louisa Beck 1882-1937

In 1881 his family lived at Pakefield Street, Kirkley. From March 15, 1887 Samuel attended Cunningham Infants School and then attended Kirkley Boys School. Between December 15, 1891 until September 6, 1892 he was a pupil at Cunnigham Mixed School. 

In 1891 his family lived at 24 Pakefield Street, Kirkley, and by 1901 at Beach Street, Carlton Colville, Suffolk, England.  According to the 1901 census, Samuel was a mariner.  

On 19 July 1902 Samuel married Catherine Louisa Beck at Saint Peter’s Church, Kirkley. Samuel was a fisherman and they both lived at Kirkley. By 1911 their home was at 2A Christie House, Rock Estate, Oulton Broad. In 1911 Samuel was the fourth hand on the trawler Benefactor (LT 155) berthed at Lowestoft.

Between 1903 until 1919, Samuel and Catherine had seven children.  They were:

1.      Louisa Catherine Elizabeth Turner 1903–1951

2.      Anna Maria Clara Turner 1904–1917

3.      Rosa Florence Turner  1906–1978

4.      Samuel Robert Edward Turner 1908–1986

5.      Kathleen Emma Turner 1911–1986

6.      Arthur Cleonard Turner 1911–1977

7.      William John Ralph Turner 1916–2006

Samuel volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 16229. He was assigned to the 9th Battalion and arrived in France with his battalion on 30 August 1915.

On 19 November 1917 the 9th Battalion moved into assembly positions in readiness for an attack, with tanks, on the Hindenburg Line, north of Beauchamp, to be made the next day. Early on the 20th the battalion formed up ‘in tank formation’ immediately to the rear of the two tanks sections working with them. The tanks were to the rear of the British support line between Argyle Road and Barricade Road. Assembly was completed by 1 a.m. and the men slept in their positions. The tanks and the men moved forward at 6.10 a.m. and the supporting barrage commenced at 6.20 a.m. The men moved with the tanks, through the British wire and within 200 yards of Plush Trench. Soon afterwards two tanks were put out of action, and other lost direction. D Company was able to pass through the Hindenburg Line wire. The enemy’s retaliatory barrage was weak but concentrated and a portion of D Company was caught in this fire and sustained several casualties. A Company dealt with Plush Trench and the rest of the battalion, and the remaining tanks, passed through to attack the main Hindenburg Line. 

At 9.05 a.m. it was reported that the battalion’s objective had been captured and that the enemy resistance had been feeble and casualties’ light. Half of C Company then moved with the tanks toward Marcoing. They were joined by other elements of the battalion and attacked Marcoing where the enemy offered little resistance. The elements of the battalion that had moved forward to Marcoing rejoined the rest of the battalion, in the Hindenburg Line front system, about 3.50 p.m. During the day the battalion had captured about 150 prisoners, including three officers, and captured three machine guns. 

The battalion’s casualties were:
Officers: three wounded
Other ranks: 8 killed, 56 wounded

Samuel was killed in action on November 20, 1917.

After her husband’s death, Catherine married William Henry Doy in 1919 and they lived at 22 Factory Street.  They had one daughter named Elizabeth Annie Doy and until her death in 1937, William Doy and Catherine raised her children from her first marriage along with their daughter Elizabeth.

Samuel’s brother-in-law, Samuel Martin, died in the loss of the trawler Labrador in 1915.

Genealogy:  Samuel Turner 1880-1917 was the son of Samuel Robert Edward Turner 1908-1986 and his wife was Florence May Dorothy Welch 1907-1982 and her father was Albert Edward Welch 1883-1964 and his father was John Welch 1852-1919 and his father was John Welch 1812-1884 and his daughter was Susannah Welsh 1847-1898 and her son was George "Pikey" William Welch-Adams 1867-1940.

 

Footnote:

The 9th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, was formed at Bury St. Edmunds in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's New Army during World War I. Initially part of the 71st Brigade in the 24th Division, they later transferred to the 6th Division. The battalion saw action in major battles including Loos, the Somme, Hill 70, and Cambrai. The 9th Battalion was disbanded in France on February 16, 1918.