Name
Joseph Summerfield
1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/06/1917
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
15366
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Apsley memorials, Sundon Village War Memorial, Beds, Sundon, Cement and Lime Works War Memorial, wall of St Mary's Church, Sundon, Beds.
Pre War
Joseph Summerfield was born in 1888 in Sundon, Bedfordshire, the son of William and Elizabeth Summerfield and one of seven children, although two died in infancy.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Mr Cooper's Cottage, Lower Sundon, Beds, where his father was working as a Farm Labourer.
His father died in 1899, aged 51. At the time of the 1901 Census, both Joseph and his sister Ada, were living with their older brother George, his wife Rose and their young family, at the main street of Sundon. Sadly his brother died in 1910, aged 33 and on the 1911 Census Joseph was a boarder at the home of Charles and Ellen Goss in Sundon. He was then working at the local cement works.
His mother later lived at 17 Storey Street, Apsley, Herts.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Flitwick, Beds and joined the 7th Bedfordshire Regiment. After basic training he was posted to the 7th Battalion and went to France on 26 July 1915.
The 7th Battalion saw action during the Battles of the Somme in 1916, specifically the Battles of Albert and Bazentin Ridge in July and the Battle of Thiepval in September, followed by the Battle of the Ancre in November.
They were heavily engaged during 1917 beginning with Operations on the Ancre in February and the Capture of Irles in March, and took part in the Battle of Arras in May.
Joseph was killed in action on 17 June 1917, aged 27. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.
Additional Information
A war gratuity of £13 was divided between his sister Ada and sister-in-law Rosena Day (the remarried widow of his brother George). Pay owing of £18 1s 6d. was divided between his sisters Ada and Ethel, his brother Arthur and the guardian of his nephews and nieces, Mrs R Day.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
