No. 3758/201191. 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment, who died on 20th July 1916 aged 19.

Stanley has no known grave and is remembered at the Thiepval Memorial.

Stanley was born Wickham Market, 1896, son of Morris and Annie Thompson and lived at Home Farm Cottages, Hasketon.

He died during the Battle of the Somme whilst fighting near High Wood.

Before the war in 1911 he was at school.

Personal details

Stanley’s parents were Farm Steward Morris Thompson [B.Hasketon, 1868] and Annie Thompson (nee Ward) [B. Wickham Market,1870].  Other siblings were Gladys [B. Wickham Market, 1894] and Nellie [B. Wickham Market, 1902].  They lived in Wickham Market until at least 1901, but by 1911 were living in Home Farm Cottages, Hasketon.

Stanley’s grandparents were Joseph Thompson [B.Hasketon, 1841] and Elizabeth Thompson [B. Melton, 1845] of Fairfield Cottage, Hasketon, parents of Walter and Arthur Thompson who also died in WW1 (see separate entries.)  Thus, Stanley was their nephew.

Stanley’s father Morris is listed in as next of kin in the Register of Soldier’s effects.

War service.

The Medal Rolls index cards indicate Stanley was awarded the Victory and British medals.   Unfortunately, his Army Service Records are missing so we don’t know the date of his arrival in France or other service information.

The 4th Battalion was heavily involved in the Somme campaign during the summer of 1916, sustaining heavy casualties in action on both 15th and 20th of July, and also on August 18th. Stanley may have been involved in the first of these actions.  The second involved an attack on High Wood on July 20th, along with other regiments in the 19th Infantry Brigade.  He was presumably killed or went missing during this action.  His nephew, Walter Thompson, was also lost on the same day.

High Wood was fought over for many more weeks before it finally fell into British hands on September 15th 1916.