Boggis, Arthur James – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 27.2.1904.[1]  Parents: James Boggis (Coconut Mat Maker) and Elizabeth [née Pettitt] (Horsehair Weaver).  Family Connections: Brother to Percy James Boggis [b1892] and William Boggis [b1895]; also, nephew of Walter Boggis [b1870] and Bernard Horace Hurst [b1860], and cousin of Leonard Alexander Hurst [b1898], and brother-in-law of Bertie James Mudge [b1888], William Frederick Valentine [b1888], Augustus Rowland Watkinson [b1889], Henry James Treves [b1890] and Percy Tuffen [b1899].  Home: Station Road, Long Melford (1911), 191 Eardley Road, Wandsworth, London (1939).  Occupation: Miller [1927], Milk Bottle Washer and ARP Squad member at the United Dairies (1939).  Married: Nellie Elizabeth Watson in 1931.  Service Record: Arthur enlisted on 25.11.1927 as Gnr.776869 with the Royal Artillery, receiving his discharge in December 1929.[2]  Died: Croydon, Surrey in 1982.

Boggis, Percy James – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 27.10.1892.[3]  Parents: James Boggis (Coconut Mat Maker) and Elizabeth [née Pettitt] (Horsehair Weaver).  Family Connections: Brother to William Boggis [b1895] and Arthur Boggis [b1904]; also, nephew of Walter Boggis [b1870] and Bernard Horace Hurst [b1860], and cousin of Leonard Alexander Hurst [b1898], and brother-in-law of Bertie James Mudge [b1888], William Frederick Valentine [b1888], Augustus Rowland Watkinson [b1889], Henry James Treves [b1890] and Percy Tuffen [b1899].  Home: Station Road, Long Melford (1901 and 1911), 24 Primrose Hill, Chelmsford, Essex (1939) to [1971].  Occupation: Miller (1911), Miller and Stone Dresser (1939).  Married: Mabel Bezant in 1915.  Service Record: Percy enlisted in September 1914 as Pte.2438 with ‘D’ Company, 1/5^th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment and was posted to Suvla Bay, Gallipoli from 10.8.1915 as part of 163^rd Brigade, 54^th [East Anglian] Division.  Within hours of landing his unit was moved forward into frontline trenches on the south face of a steep and rocky hill called Karakol Dagh.  At dawn two days later the Suffolks and the three other untested battalions of 163^rd Brigade were ordered to secure the heights to the east.  Advancing nearly a mile through a hail of Turkish artillery and machine gun fire, by the end of the day the enemy had been held at bay and a secure forward defence line established.  When Harry and his companions were finally relieved by fresh troops after three gruelling days, they were found in a sorry state, having baked under the searing heat they had run desperately short of drinking water and been plagued by swarms of flies attracted by the dead and dying around them. When the Roll was called it was found that the Suffolks alone had lost 186 men either dead or wounded with a further 150 laid low by dysentery.[4]  In December the Battalion was evacuated to Egypt, spending the summer guarding the Suez Canal. By 1917 he had been promoted and given a new number, and as L/Cpl.240586 took part in the invasion of Palestine, his battalion seeing action at the First, Second and Third Battles of Gaza, the Battle of Sharon and the capture of Jerusalem.[5]  Died: Chelmsford, Essex on 7.2.1971.[6]

Boggis, Walter – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 16.12.1870.[7]  Parents: Frederick Boggis (Agricultural Labourer) and Jane [née Pryke].  Family Connections: Uncle of Percy James Boggis [b1892], William Boggis [b1895] and Arthur Boggis [b1904]; also, brother-in-law of Bernard Horace Hurst [b1860] and uncle of Lionel Alexander Hurst [b1898].  Home: The Green, Long Melford (1871, 1881), Church Walk, Long Melford (1891), 66 Herbert Road, East Ham, London (1901), Third Avenue, Manor Park, London (1911 to 1939).  Occupation: Coconut Mat Weaver (1891), Railway Shunter (1901) to [1936].  Married: Ada Nice in 1900.  Service Record: Walter was a member of the National Union of Railwaymen from 1913 until his retirement in 1936.  No definitive military record has been found.  Died: Brentwood, Essex in 1943.

Boggis, William – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 19.2.1895.[8]  Parents: James Boggis (Coconut Mat Maker) and Elizabeth [née Pettitt] (Horsehair Weaver).  Family Connections: Brother to Percy James Boggis [b1892] and Arthur Boggis [b1904]; also, nephew of Walter Boggis [b1870] and Bernard Horace Hurst [b1860]; also, cousin of Leonard Alexander Hurst [b1898], brother-in-law of Bertie James Mudge [b1888], William Frederick Valentine [b1888], Augustus Rowland Watkinson [b1889], Henry James Treves [b1890] and Percy Tuffen [b1899], and son-in-law of Harry Edward Lumley [b1871].  Home: Station Road, Long Melford (1901 to 1911), 2 Chapel Green, Long Melford (1921).  Married: Ethel May Lumley in 1917.  Service Record: Although no definitive military record has been found, William may have enlisted as Pte.7607 with the London Regiment.[9] Died: Sudbury, Suffolk 1937.

Notes – [1] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Sudbury. [2] For military details see his Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363].[3] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Chelmsford, Essex, and the Death Index. [4] For details of the action see the battalion’s War Diary [WO 95/4325].  For the 1/5^th Suffolk’s part in the Gallipoli Campaign see Service Medal and Award Rolls, Capt. A. Fair [MC] and Capt. E. D. Wolton [compiled by] “The Suffolk Regiment”: the history of the 1/5th Battalion [London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1923] pp.13-37. [5] For details of 1/5^th Suffolk’ movements in Gallipoli and Palestine see War Diaries [WO 95/4325 and WO 95/4658] and Capt. A. Fair [mc] and Capt. E. D. Wolton [compiled by] “The Suffolk Regiment”: the history of the 1/5^th Battalion [London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1923], pp.13-107.  See also his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372]. [6] Date of death from the National Probate Calendar. [7] Date of birth taken from the Baptism Register of 3.9.1871 for Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford. [8] Baptism Record of 19.9.1895 for St Catherines Mission Church, Long Melford. [9] A photograph in the Long Melford Museum and Heritage Centre archive shows William in the uniform of a new army recruit, although no insignia is visible.