Private Ernest Abel 1/5th Norfolks captured wounded 2nd Gaza 1917

The edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday July 14th 1917 included this picture along with the caption “Private Ernest Albert Abel, Norfolk Regiment, Egyptian Expeditionary Force, wounded and in hospital at Nazareth. He is the son of Mr John William Abel, of Swanton Road, Worthing, Bimham.”

 

ABEL, E A

Rank:……………….........Private

Service No:…………...240984

Date of Death:……...28/05/1917

Regiment:………….....Norfolk Regiment, 1st/5th Bn.

Grave Reference:…A. 72.

Cemetery:………….....HAIFA WAR CEMETERY

Additional Information:

Husband of Mrs. G. S. Abel, of Gressenhall, Dereham, Norfolk.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/654105/ABEL,%20E%20A

 

Soldiers Died in the Great War records that Private Ernest Albert Abel Died of Wounds on the 28th May 1917 whilst serving with the 1/5th Battalion (T.F.), Norfolk Regiment in the Palestine Theatre of War. No place of birth or residence is shown. He enlisted at East Dereham, Norfolk.

 

The Medal Index Card for Private 240964 Ernest A Abel, Norfolk Regiment, is held at the National Archive under reference WO 372/1/6469

He had previously been Private 4654 in the same Regiment.

discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D991374

 

His Regimental Service Medal Roll shows that he served with only the 1/5th Norfolk Regiment, initially as 4654.

He was entitled to the British War Medal & the Victory Medal. (I can only assume he was a reinforcement as the men who sailed out to Gallipoli in 1915 would have qualified for the 1914/15 Star as well).

 

His WW1 Service Records do not appear to have survived the incendiary attack during the Blitz on the Warehouse where they were being stored.

 

(Family Search says there are Militia papers for Ernest Abel, 4th Norfolks born circa 1884)

familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHYD-7K8

Tracking those down however shows a Southborough, Norfolk, born man who had service number 5242 in the 4th Battalion. No middle name is recorded. He attested in the Militia on the 18th February 1904 at East Dereham. He was then single and aged 19 years and 4 months. Working as a Labourer for a Mr Allcock of East Dereham, he was living at Gressenhall, where he had presided for the whole of the previous 12 months. He had no previous military experience.

 

He had a medical at Norwich on the 19th February where he was recorded as 5 feet, 2 and a quarter inches tall, weighed 126lbs, had a Fresh complexion with Hazel Eyes and Light Brown Hair. He was passed fit for service in the Militia. He signed up for 76 days drill on enlistment and attended the annual training camps in 1905, 1906 and 1907. He was discharged on Termination of his Engagement on the 17th February 1910. His character was recorded as good.

 

His address on discharge was “Nr. West Inn, Scarning, East Dereham.” His next of kin was recorded as his father, John William Abel, of Gressenhall, along with older brothers John, (address 2/B Norfolk Regiment), George, (address Scarning) and younger siblings Walter, Alice, Florence and Lucy, all resident Gressenhall.

 

As far as I can tell the 4th and 5th Battalion had separate service number rolls, so it could have been possible for Ernest to have done service with the 4th Battalion as 5242 and then joined the 5th Battalion subsequently and be given service number 4654. The 5th were headquartered at East Dereham, (that’s why pre-war Territorials in the 5th Battalion are all show on Soldiers Died in the Great War are all just shown as enlisted East Dereham, with no place of birth or residence shown), so slightly odd he should serve with the 4th.

 

There is no obvious match on Picture Norfolk, the County Image Archive, for a picture of this man.

 

There is no obvious Soldiers Will or Civil Probate for this man.

 

He is remembered on the Gressenhall Roll of Honour.

www.breckland-rollofhonour.org.uk/gressen.html

 

He is not remembered on the War Memorial at Worthing, Norfolk according to the list of the Norfolk War Dead published early in the 1920’s.

 

1883/84 – Birth? and baptism

 

I could not readily identify a likely birth in Norfolk to tie in with the age identified on the 1911 census.

 

However the baptism of an Ernest Albert Abel, no date of birth recorded, took place at Southburgh, Norfolk on the 25th November 1883. Parents were John, a Labourer and Anna Maria Abel. The family live at Southburgh.

familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27HB-75R

www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818b419e93790eca3ab0b4...

familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NXMZ-3B9

 

1891 Census of England and Wales

 

Using the information from the 1901 and 1911 censuses, the most likely match for the family were living at 8 Georges Yard, East Dereham. Parents are John Abel, (aged 37, a Coal Porter, born Cranworth) and Anna, (aged 37, born Gressenhall). Children living with them at that time were:-

John…….aged 14….born Cranworth…..Errand Boy

George…aged 12…..born East Dereham

Ernest…..aged 7……born East Dereham

Walter….aged 4……born East Dereham

Alice…aged 8 months…born East Dereham

 

1901 Census of England and Wales

 

Working back from the information on the 1911 Census, the most likely match is a 17 year old Ernest Able, born Southburgh, Norfolk, who was recorded living in a dwelling at The Fenn, Scarning, Norfolk. He works as a Pot Boy at an Inn. This was the household of his parents, John, (aged 48, a Marine Store Dealer, born Cranworth, Norfolk) and Anna, (aged 48, born East Dereham, Norfolk). As well as Ernest their other children still single and living with them are:-

George….aged 22….born East Dereham… Labourer (Farm Servant)

Walter….aged 13….born East Dereham… Labourer (Farm Servant)

Alice……aged 10….born East Dereham

May……..aged 7……born East Dereham

Lucy…….aged 5……born East Dereham

 

1907 Marriage

 

The marriage of an Ernest Albert Abel to a Gertrude Sarah Smith was recorded in the Mitford District of Norfolk in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1907.

 

1911 Census of England and Wales

 

There is a 27 year old Ernest Abel, a Farm Labourer born Southburgh, who was recorded as the married head of the household of a dwelling at Bittering St(reet), Gressenhall, East Dereham. He lives there with his wife of 4 years, Gertrude, (aged 28 and born Beetley, Norfolk). So far the couple have had no children.

 

The most likely match for his parents are a John William and Anna Maria Abel who were recorded living at 4, Washbridge, East Dereham. John was then aged 60, a General Labourer, born Cranworth.Anna Maria was 55, born East Dereham. The couple have been married 36 years and have had 9 children, of which 7 were then still living with them. Also in the house is an adopted son, Charles Edward Swift, aged 8, born East Dereham.

 

A baptism took place at Gressenhall on the 9th September 1911 of an Ernest George Abel, no date of birth recorded. His parents were Ernest Albert, a Labourer, and Gertrude Sarah. The family lived at Gressenhall.

familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNNJ-4Z2

 

On the 1915 Norfolk Electoral Register an Ernest Abel was recorded as entitled to vote as he was the (male) householder of a Dwelling House on Bittering Street, Gressenhall.

familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2HTN-ZJY

 

There is a John Abel recorded to vote on the same Register as the male householder of a Dwelling House at 9, Banyards Yard, East Dereham.

familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2HTN-HTZ

 

The 1914 edition records he had moved there from 15, George’s Yard, East Dereham.

familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2CMP-P3H

 

The 1912 edition saw him move from 27 Becclesgate to 15 George’s Yard, East Dereham.

familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2CM6-D78

 

On the 1910 edition he was already living at 27 Becclesgate, but note in all of the editions of the Norfolk Electoral Register for the period 1910 – 1915, he is the only John Abel recorded in East Dereham.

familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2CMZ-5HQ

 

There is no Abel recorded on the 1915 Norfolk Electoral Register at Worthing, and there is no Bimham that I’m aware of in Norfolk – there is a Binham but that’s on the North Norfolk coast near Stiffkey. Worthing is near Bintree and North Elmham, so could be some mix of the two.

 

 

On the day

 

Nazareth and Haifa were still in the hands of the Turks at the time, (and both would remain so until September 1918.) It would seem almost certain Ernest was a Prisoner of War.

 

There is a Casualty list in the edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Wednesday August 15th 1917 and Saturday August 18th 1917 which includes a 240084 E. A. Abel (Gressinghall), Norfolk Regiment in the section “Now reported Prisoners in Turkish Hands.”

 

The International Red Cross holds a file for Ernest. He is recorded as Ernest Albert Abel, Private 4654, of the 1/5 Norfolks, whose family live at “Gresham Hall”, East Dereham, Norfolk.

grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Details/815365/3/2/

The Turkish Red Crescent reports that Ernest Albert Abel, aged 35, was captured with a wound to the chest at Gaza on the 19th April 1917. He died at Nazareth Hospital on the 28th May 1917 of a Pulmonary Haemorrhage.

grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Zoom/E/01/03/C_G1_E_01_03_0...

 

(Haifa was not captured until September 1918, so unless that individual died a prisoner of the Turks, he must have subsequently been moved there.)

 

19th April 1917………………

 

During the 2nd Battle of Gaza,

 

Facing the Tank Redoubt was the 161st Brigade of the 54th Division. To their right were the two Australian battalions (1st and 3rd) of the Imperial Camel Corps Brigade who had dismounted about 4,000 yards from their objective. As the infantry went in to attack at 7.30am they were joined by a single tank called "The Nutty" which attracted a lot of shell fire. The tank followed a wayward path towards the redoubt on the summit of a knoll where it was fired on point blank by four field guns until it was stopped and set alight in the middle of the position.

 

The infantry and the 1st Camel Battalion, having suffered heavy casualties on their approach, now made a bayonet charge against the trenches. About 30 "Camels" and 20 of the British infantry (soldiers of the 5th (territorial Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment) reached the redoubt, then occupied by around 600 Turks who immediately broke and fled towards their second line of defences to the rear.

 

The British and Australians held on unsupported for about two hours by which time most had been wounded. With no reinforcements at hand and a Turkish counter-attack imminent, the survivors endeavoured to escape back to their own lines.

 

To the right (west) of Tank Redoubt, the 3rd Camel Battalion, advancing in the gap between two redoubts, actually made the furthest advance of the battle, crossing the Gaza-Beersheba Road and occupying a pair of low hills (dubbed "Jack" and "Jill"). As the advances on their flanks faltered, the "Camels" were forced to retreat to avoid being isolated.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Gaza

 

From “The History of the Norfolk Regiment 1685 – 1918”, Volume 2, by F. Loraine Petre.

 

(Page 144 – 148)

 

Orders for the general attack on the 19th were issued so late on the 18th that they did not reach the men till nearly midnight, with the result that most of the night had to be spent in preparations for attack and distributing rations and water, all of which might well have been done during the day, had orders been issued earlier.

 

The orders contemplated the attack and capture of Gaza and the formation of a new line beyond it. There was to be a heavy bombardment from 5.30 a.m. for two hours before the infantry attack began.

 

The 163rd Brigade was to attack about Khirbet-el-Bir with the 52nd Division on its left. In the front line were the 1/5th Norfolk on the right, the 1/4th Norfolk on the left, and the 8th Hants in support, with the 5th Suffolks in reserve.

 

The four battalions were ready at 5 a.m. for the advance, which was to commence at 7.30 after a heavy bombardment for two hours. To the bombardment the Turks had made little or no reply, but when the infantry moved forward it soon became apparent that the British artillery had done very little harm, and the attack was met by what Captain Buxton describes as “a perfect hell of artillery and machine-gun fire.” The British artillery could not give them adequate support, as they had already fired away a great part of their ammunition and, moreover, the range of 6,000 yards was excessive. Thus, with little support, the infantry had to cross some 1,700 yards of undulating country in full view of the Turks awaiting them in trenches and well-wired redoubts beyond the Gaza-Beersheba road.

 

At 7.30 the two Norfolk battalions advanced. Watching the first stages from brigade head-quarters, Captain Buxton writes that “it was a magnificent sight to see them going in extended order as if on a field day.” Each battalion covered a front of about 900 yards. The right of the 1/5th Norfolk was directed on a Turkish redoubt which soon began to give trouble. The first low ridge was crossed by 8.30 and the second, about 500 yards further on, was reached. The 8th Hants now moved with one tank against the redoubt on the right of the 1/5th Norfolk.

 

On the opposite flank, the left of the 1/4th Norfolk, the other tank advanced on another Turkish redoubt, but unfortunately was hit by a shell and put out of action. The 1/5th Norfolk battalion disappeared over the second ridge and communication between the battalions became very difficult.

 

The tank with the 1/5th and the 8th Hants was presently set on fire, but not before it had inflicted heavy damage on the enemy and sent back twenty prisoners taken in the capture of the redoubt, which was held by a party of the 1/5th Norfolk men and some of the Camel Corps. All this time the British had been suffering very heavy loss from the Turkish artillery, machine-gun, and rifle fire which the British artillery, at a range of 6,000 yards, was unable to keep down.

 

About 10 a.m. Lieutenant Buxton, who had gone out to get information for brigade head-quarters, telephoned what he had seen from a shell hole in which he had ensconced himself. In his own words:

 

“It is quite obvious what had happened. The advance had been held up just below the Turkish line, and one could see our men lying out in lines, killed or wounded. The 1/5th Norfolk ‘B’ company under Captain Blyth, had captured Tank redoubt and had held it for some time, till all ammunition was spent. No support came up, and so those who did not get away, sixty in all, were captured in the Turkish counter-attack. My second tank, under Captain Carr, (its noted this is the one attacking with the 1/5th Norfolks), had done very well getting into the redoubt. The first tank had had a direct hit and was burning. It was obvious that our attack here had failed, and that most of our men had been killed. So I waited a bit longer, and when things were a shade quieter, got out of my shell-hole and ran back over the rise. There I came on about forty men of our brigade of all regiments. Major Marsh, who was O.C. 8 Hants, was there too, and Lieutenant Wharton of the 4th Norfolk. These men were just stragglers and all collected there. We decided it was no good going on then, so we started to dig ourselves in. This was all quite early in the morning – about 9. Marsh had a telephone line so I phoned back to Brigade H.Q and gave them all the news.

 

There were a lot of dead men and wounded all around us. Some of the latter we got behind our lines, in case the Turks tried a counter-attack. We were about forty men and one Lewis Gun, and no-one on our left or right for several hundred yards. The place we were holding was the top of a rounded hillock. The Turks kept us under pretty good machine gun fire all day. Marsh and I lay in a rifle pit and ate dates and biscuits for a bit. We allowed no firing, as we wished to keep our ammunition in case of a counter attack.

 

About 4 in the afternoon the 5th Suffolks were sent up to support us and consolidate the position we held. This was really a great relief. About seven the Brigadier came out after dusk and saw the place. He ordered us to retire during the night right back to our starting point, for it would not have been possible to hold this advanced position as long as there was no-one on our flanks at all.

 

During the day a few stragglers joined us, among them Corporal Burtenshaw and a private. He told me that Captain Birkbeck had been very badly wounded. I told the O.C. Suffolks whereabouts he was said to be. They promised to send out patrols to try and find him, but these did no good at all, as I afterwards heard.

 

We brought in a lot of wounded as we came back. The three attacking regiments of our brigade had all had very heavy losses. Each was reduced to about 150. The 5th Norfolk lost, killed or wounded, all the officers who went in, except one, and about 600 men.”

 

Meanwhile the 5th Suffolk had been sent up to stiffen the line, which was entrenched about 500 yards from the Turkish trenches with the hill where Lieutenant Buxton was on its right.

 

About 2 p.m. the divisional commander had ordered the 161st brigade, less one battalion, to reinforce the 163rd, and the commander of the former at once placed two battalions at the disposal of the commander of the 163rd. At 2.23 pm, a counter-attack was launched, with the 5th Suffolks on the right, the 6th Essex on the left, and all the artillery firing on the trenches. When this could make no progress, the 6th Essex were withdrawn behind the Sheikh Abbas ridge, whilst the remains of the Norfolk battalions and the 8th Hants dug themselves in in the positions they then occupied, and held on until daybreak on the 20th. By 5.30 a.m. on that day they had retired to reserve, in left rear of the 5th Suffolks.

 

The casualties in this disastrous attack of the 19th were extremely heavy in the Norfolk battalions, as shown below, (I’ve converted the table and notes to text).

 

1/4th Norfolks

 

Killed…….6 Officers (Major W.H.T. Jewson; Captains W.V. Morgan, S.D. Page, R.W. Thurgar; Lieutenant F.J. Cole; Second Lieutenant J. Levy.) and 49 other ranks.

 

Wounded….11 Officers and 312 other ranks.

Missing……1 Officer and 99 other ranks.

 

Totals…….18 Officers and 460 other ranks.

1/5th Norfolks

 

Killed…….6 Officers (Captains A.E. Beck, G.W. Birkbeck, E.H. Cubitt; Lieutenants E.J. Gardiner, R.R. Plaistowe; Lieutenant-Colonel Grissell.) and 13 other ranks.

 

Wounded….9 Officers and 4012 other ranks.

Missing……4 Officers and 2299 other ranks.

 

Totals…….19 Officers and 643 other ranks.

 

The 8th Hants had lost twenty-two officers and 546 other ranks. Every company commander of all three battalions had been killed or wounded. Lieutenant-Colonel Younden of the 1/4th Norfolk was slightly wounded, and Lieutenant Grissell of the 1/5th was wounded and missing, (Authors note: Afterwards found to have been killed. Lieutenant Buxton saw him and Lieutenant Eustace Cubitt about 7 or 8 a.m. and states both were killed about two hours later. )

 

With these terrible losses, aggregating well over the full strength of a battalion, it became necessary to amalgamate, for the time being, both Norfolk battalions in a single composite battalion, of which the 1st and 2nd companies were made up of the remains of the 1/4th, and the 3rd and 4th of the 1/5th. The command of this battalion was given to Lieutenant-Colonel Torkington of the Scottish Rifles.

lib.militaryarchive.co.uk/library/infantry-histories/libr...

 

 

Mildly photoshopped to minimise impact of damage present on the original source.

Done