Name
William Charles Barrett
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/10/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
45185
Suffolk Regiment
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CEMENT HOUSE CEMETERY
I. G. 8
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
HE SACRIFICED ALL FOR US L.T.
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Saviour's Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Not on the Baldock memorials, Not on the Bishop's Stortford memorials
Pre War
Although the SDIGW states William Charles Barrett was born in Bishop's Stortford no registered birth has been found. It is possible that William was the son of James and Annie Barrett, born in Kingston on Thames in 1897 and living in Baldock in 1901. [N.B. CWGC states he was a native of Baldock] On the 1911 Census he was living in Wood End, Ardeley, near Walkern, Herts with his widowed father.
He married Lily Sutton in Hitchin in early 1917. She later married Frank Thorogood in 1919 and lived at 11 Waltham Road, Hitchin.
Wartime Service
He was allocated Regimental Number 45185 in the 11th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment. He was killed in action in Belgium.
His death was probably in the vicinity of the southern end of the Houthulst Forest north west of Poelcappelle in the Ypres Salient. At the time the 11th Battalion of the Suffolks was in the 101st Brigade of the 34th Division of XIV Corps of the 5th Army and was in the line but not taking part in any specific battle. However, three men from the Suffolks killed on the same day are buried side by side which suggests that they were casualties of shelling.
He was buried in Plot I, Row G, Grave 8 at Cement House Cemetery in Belgium, about 600m west of Langemark. The bunker, after which the cemetery is named, can still be seen. A private inscription on his gravestone reads "He sacrificed all for us. L.T." His former wife became ‘LT.’
Additional Information
Husband of L. Thorogood (formerly Barrett), of 11, Waltham Rd., Hitchin. Native of Baldock, Herts. His widow Lily received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £1 19s.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson
