Selected Biographies

Ford, Arthur – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 21.2.1884.[1]  Parents: Benjamin David Ford (Maltster’s Labourer) and Susannah [née Rising] (Horsehair Weaver).  Family Connections: Brother to James Ford [b1880] and Sidney Ford [b1895], also, uncle of William Sidney James Ford [b1909], cousin of Frederick Ford [b1886] and George Ford [b1891], and brother-in-law of Arthur Thomas East [b1885].  Home: Westgate Lane, Long Melford (1891), St Catherines Road, Long Melford (1901), near the Lecture Hall in Hall Street, Long Melford (1911), 1 Bull Lane, Long Melford [1938].  Occupation: Painter’s Apprentice (1901), Agricultural Implement Painter (1911).  Married: Ethel Victoria East in 1907.  Service Record: From 1902 to 1908 Arthur was a member of ‘D’ Company, 2^nd [Volunteer] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment and from 1908 to 1914 as Pte.155 in its successor 5^th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment [Territorial].  He was mobilised on 5.8.1914 as L/Cpl.155 with 1/5^th Battalion, Suffolks and posted to Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 10.8.1915 as part of 163^rd Brigade, 54^th [East Anglian] Division.[2]  He was evacuated on 6.12.1915 from Anzac Cove, Gallipoli to Egypt, being placed on the Army Reserve on 12.5.1916 at the ‘termination of his period of engagement’.  On his return to the village, he joined the Long Melford Volunteer Training Corps.[3]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1938.

Ford, Frederick ‘Fred’ – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 1.6.1886.[4]  Parents: John Ford (Gamekeeper) and Mary Ann [née Mitchell].  Family Connections: Cousin of James Ford [b1880], Arthur Ford [b1884], Sidney Charles Ford [b1895] and George Ford [b1891]; also, uncle of William Sidney James Ford [b1909].  Home: High Street, Long Melford (1891), Hall Cottages, Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire (1901), The Hants, Harlow, Essex (1911), Lindon End, Saffron Walden, Essex [1914], Keeper’s Cottage, Braintree, Essex [1919].  Occupation: Labourer (1901), Gamekeeper (1911), Groom [1914], Builder’s Labourer (1939).  Married: Bertha Parish in 1917.  Service Record: Fred enlisted in 1904 as Dvr.T/21797 with Horse Transport Section, B Corps Ammunition Park, Army Service Corps, placed on the Army Reserve in 1906.  He was mobilised on 6.8.1914 and posted to France from 12.8.1914 to 2.4.1919.  On 4.9.1917 he received wounds to his left arm, leg and right thigh from an exploding grenade, returning to England for treatment.  He is recorded at his marriage in December of that year as serving with 665^th [Horse Transport] Company, ASC based at Blackheath, before re-joining his old unit in France at the end of January 1918.  Fred received his discharge in May 1919.[5]

Ford, George – Born: Lavenham, Suffolk in 1890.  Parents: Henry Ford (Platelayer) of Long Melford and Barbara Ellen [née Bigg].  Family Connections: Cousin of James Ford [b1880], Arthur Ford [b1884], Sidney Charles Ford [b1895] and Frederick Ford [b1886]; also, uncle of William Sidney James Ford [b1909].  Home: Alley Yard, Lavenham, Suffolk (1891), Station Cottages, Cockfield, Suffolk (1901 and 1911).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1911).  Service Record: George enlisted as Pte.14708 with 8^th [Service] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, posted to France from 25.7.1915 as part of 53^rd Brigade, 18^th [Eastern] Division, transferring to 9^th [Service] Battalion, then as L/Cpl.14708 to 11^th [Service] Battalion [Cambridgeshire], Suffolk Regiment as part of 101^st Brigade, 34^th Division.  In February 1918 9^th Suffolks was reduced to cadre strength, with most of its officers and men transferring to either 11^th or 12^th Battalion, Suffolks.  It was most probably at this time that George Ford moved to this former unit. If this assumption is correct, then he would have seen action when the Battalion was manning front-line trenches in the Sensée valley on 21.3.1918.  The enemy laid down a concentrated bombardment of high explosive, aerial mines, and poison gas, followed by wave upon wave of assaulting troops.  The initial attack was repulsed but by evening it was clear that a general withdrawal would be necessary.  Under cover of darkness and for the whole of the next day the fighting continued, claiming over 200 casualties before the Battalion could safely disengage.  So began the Battle of St Quentin, the opening push of the German Spring Offensive.  On 10.4.1918 George’s unit was in action again, beating off repeated attacks over the next four days, in what became one of the battles of the Lys, at the end of which another 500 men had been killed, wounded, or captured.  In May the Battalion joined 183^rd [2^nd Gloucester and Worcester] Brigade as part of 61^st [2^nd South Midland] Division.  By 17.10.1918 however, the German Army was on the back foot and over the following week was pushed into retreat.  It was at this point that 61^st Division was brought into the fray to add weight to what had become the Battle of Selle.  At dawn on 24.10.1918 the Battalion crossed the river Ecaillon and drove deep into the German rearguard, which put up a stiff resistance, launching a counterattack near the village of Vendegies.  It was during this mayhem that Lance Corporal Ford was mortally wounded.[6]  Died: George was killed in action on 24.10.1918 and is buried in Vendegies Crossroads British Cemetery [grave ref: A.7], Bermerain, Nord, France.[7]

Ford, Herbert John – Born: Ilketshall St Margaret, Suffolk on 16.6.1888.[8]  Parents: William Weeding Ford (Blacksmith) and Emma [née Barber].  Home: Low Street, Ilketshall St Margaret, Suffolk (1891), South Elmham St Michael, Suffolk (1901), Hall Street, Long Melford (1939).  Occupation: Fisherman [1916], Public Works Labourer (1939).  Married: Annie White in 1912.  Service Record: Herbert enlisted on 30.5.1915 as N^o. J53884 in the Royal Navy, transferring as N^o. SD4962 to the Special Trawler Reserve on 9.8.1916.[9]

Ford, James – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 9.4.1880.[10]  Parents: Benjamin David Ford (Maltster’s Labourer) and Susannah [née Rising] (Horsehair Weaver).  Family Connections: Father to William Sidney James Ford [b1909] and brother of Arthur Ford [b1884] and Sidney Charles Ford [b1895]; also, cousin of Frederick Ford [b1886] and George Ford [b1891].  Home: Hall Street, Long Melford (1881), Westgate Lane, Long Melford (1891), St Catherines Road, Long Melford (1901), Bull Tap, Bull Lane, Long Melford (1911) to [1919].  Occupation: Labourer for Stafford Allen and Sons, Distillers of Herbal Oils (1901), Ostler at the Bull Hotel (1911) to [1916].  Married: Fanny Wheeler in 1905.  Service Record: At the Melford Military Service Tribunal in July 1916 James’s employer George Harris applied for his exemption, which was refused, allowing him only one month’s grace.  The case may have been taken to the West Suffolk Military Appeal Tribunal in Bury St Edmunds as at the August sitting of the Melford panel the military representative raised an objection, resulting in the second application being refused.[11]  James Ford was conscripted on 26.12.1916 as Pte.G/80938 with 1^st [Reserve] Battalion, [London Regiment] Royal Fusiliers and discharged on 2.9.1918 as ‘no longer physically fit for war service’ due to tuberculosis of the lung.[12]  Died: James died from the disease on 7.6.1919 and is buried in Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford and recorded on the Long Melford Roll of Honour.[13]

Ford, Sidney Charles – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 1.9.1895.[14]  Parents: Benjamin David Ford (Maltster’s Labourer) and Susannah [née Rising] (Horsehair Weaver).  Family Connections: Brother to James Ford [b1880] and Arthur Ford [b1884]; also, uncle of William Sidney James Ford [b1909], and cousin of Frederick Ford [b1886] and George Ford [b1891].  Home: St Catherines Road, Long Melford (1901 and 1911).  Occupation: Shop Porter (1911).  Service Record: A soldier in the First World War, although his unit is not known, his grandson relates that Sidney went to France, albeit only for a short time.  His Colonel spotted that he had a pronounced limp and said he should never have been allowed to enlist.[15]  He was apparently discharged shortly afterwards.  No extant military record has been found.  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1929.

Ford, William ‘Bill’ Sidney James – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 8.4.1909.[16]  Parents: James Ford (Ostler at the Bull Hotel) [see details above] and Fanny [née Wheeler].  Family Connections: Nephew of Arthur Ford [b1884] and Sidney Charles Ford [b1895]; also, son-in-law of Bertie William Ponder [b1890] and brother-in-law of William Bertie Ponder [1913] .  Home: Bull Tap, Bull Hotel, Hall Street, Long Melford (1911), St Catherines Road, Long Melford (1939), Hartsbuckle, Liston, Essex [1977].  Occupation: Galenical Maker’s Charge Hand for Stafford Allen & Sons (1939).  Married: Mabel Hilda Ponder [d1930] in 1930 and Ada Margaret Daniels in 1935.  Service Record: Bill was a member of ‘H’ Company, 10^th Battalion, Suffolk Home Guard when it was formed in August 1942.  His name is recorded in the official tribute to the organization entitled The Lion Roared his Defiance, photographed in and around Long Melford in 1944.[17]  Died: Liston, Essex on 9.6.1977.[18]

Notes – [1] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 6.4.1884, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.  [2] See the entry for Bertie John Allen [b1886] for an account of the Suffolk’s first days after stepping ashore in Gallipoli.  For details of 1/5^th Suffolk’s movements see War Diary [WO 95/4325]; also see 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.13-37.  [3] For details of the Training Corps see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 27.12.1916.  Recorded as a Soldier in the Army Reserve at baptism of his daughter see Baptism Register 7.10.1917, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.  See also his Soldiers’ Documents and Pension Claims, First World War [WO 364], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [4] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 4.7.1886, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.  [5] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329], and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [6] Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [7] For details of the action where Lance Corporal Ford lost his life see 11^th Suffolk’s War Diary [WO 95/3062/2] and Murphy, Lieutenant-Colonel C. C. R. The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927 [London: Hutchinson and Co, 1928], p.298.  See also his Commonwealth War Graves Commission record, British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 file [ref: 796697].  [8] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Long Melford.  [9] Royal Navy Registers of Seaman’s Services [ADM 188/754] and Medal and Award Rolls [ADM 171/102].  [10] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 11.3.1881, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford. [11] For the Tribunal’s rulings see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 26.7.1916 and 16.8.1916. [12] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  See also Tuberculosis: Register of Notification from Medical Practitioners 26.8.1918 [Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk Record Office ref: EF501/4/23]. [13] Commonwealth War Graves Commission record, Burial Register 11.6.1919, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.  [14] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 9.5.1896, St Catherines Mission Church, Long Melford.  [15] According to his grandson, Sidney had fallen from a tree when a teenager, which had left him with one leg two inches shorter than the other.  I am grateful to Roger Ford for this detail.  [16] Date of birth from the 1939 Register. [17] Published by Marten & Son, Ltd., of Market Hill, Sudbury, Suffolk in 1946.  [18] National Probate Calendar.