Selected Biographies

Long, Bertie James – Born: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1890.  Parents: William James Long (Railway Plate Layer) and Edith [née Carter] residents of Long Melford. Home: 3 Church Street, Sudbury, Suffolk (1891), Route Villas, Lavenham Road, Sudbury (1901), Acton Lane, Sudbury (1911 to 1939).  Occupation: Wood Cutter (1911), Firewood Dealer [1916] to (1939). Service Record: Bertie was conscripted on 29.12.1916 as Pte.SE/24408 with the Army Veterinary Corps, rosing to the rank of Sergeant by his discharge in 1919.[1] Died: Sudbury, Suffolk 1965.

Long, Charles [DCM] – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 1.8.1893.[2]  Parents: Thomas Ostler Long (Boot Maker) and Emma Eliza Kate [née Johnson].  Home: Church Terrace, Long Melford (1901), The Green, Long Melford (1911), 37 Wilton Road, Mitcham, Surrey [1926],[3] 70 Garden Avenue, Mitcham (1939).  Occupation: Grocer’s Assistant (1911), Civil Service Clerk at the War Office (1939).  Married: Edith Mary Dring in 1926.  Service Record: Charles enlisted as Pte.2140 with N^o. 1 Company, 1/1^st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment, being posted to France from 6.11.1914 as part of the 4^th [Guards] Brigade, 2^nd Division and seeing action at Ypres and La Bassée in 1915.  He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and was promoted to Corporal for his exemplary performance during heavy fighting at the Battle of Festubert.  His citation reads: For conspicuous gallantry on 18.5.1915, at Rue du Bois, in carrying messages under heavy fire, and as a guide bringing up reinforcements.  When no news could be obtained from the front line, he volunteered to go forward and obtain valuable information, crossing the zone of fire no less than six times.  The granting of the award is recorded in the Battalion War Diary for 1.7.1915.  His actions were also reported in the local press, adding extra detail to the sequence of events as follows: Pte Long, who was acting as company orderly, was sent with a message requesting urgent support from his battalion’s N^o. 2 Company.  In conveying the message Long had to traverse about 1,000 yards of the fire-swept zone, which was covered thick with dead and wounded men, whom he had to jump over at every step.  Finding his progress impeded by his equipment, he threw away his tunic … and everything else which hindered him, and succeeded, greatly to his surprise, in getting over without a scratch, with the happy result that reinforcements were brought up and danger averted.  He was later transferred as Sgt.714501 to the Labour Corps.[4]

Long, Douglas Percy Saddler – Born: Charlton, London on 11.9.1900.[5] Parents: Edwin Percy Long (Auctioneer) and Harriet Elizabeth [née Kempton]. Home: Little Heath, Charlton, London (1901) to [1929], 11 Marlings Park Avenue, Chislehurst, Kent [1936] to (1939), Leaside, Westgate Lane, Long Melford [1967].[6]  Occupation: Telephone Engineer [1918] to (1921), Telecommunications Technician (1939). Married: Edith Elizabeth Gambier in 1931.  Service Record: Douglas was conscripted on 23.10.1918 as AC.309006 with the Royal Air Force.[7] Died: Long Melford, Suffolk on 20.8.1967.[8]

Notes – [1] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363] and Medal Roll [WO 329]. [2] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 5.9.1893, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford and 1939 Register. [3] Address taken from the Electoral Roll for Mitcham, Surrey. [4] For the notification of his DCM see London Gazette 5.8.1915.  See article ‘Long Melford. Private Charles Long Gains Promotion and the D.C.M.’ in Suffolk and Essex Free Press 28.7.1915.  My sincere thanks to Miss Anne Grimshaw of Sudbury for bringing this article to my notice.  For details of 1/1^st Herts movements up to 1916 see War Diaries [WO 95/1342/5, WO 95/1358/2 and WO 95/2590/2].  See also his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372]. [5] 1939 Register. [6] Some addresses from the Electoral Roll. [7] Royal Air Force, Airmen’s Service Records 1912-1939 [AIR 79/2682]. [8] National Probate Calendar.