Selected Biographies

Oakley, Arthur Cecil – Born: Croydon, Surrey on 12.3.1890.[1]  Parents: Harry Oakley (Coal Porter) and Mary.  Family Connections: Brother to Frank Hugh Oakley [b1896].  Home: 20 Gibsons Hill, Croydon, Surrey (1891), 11 Victoria Place, Norwood, Surrey (1901), 50 Robson Road, West Norwood (1911), Bixby’s Yard, Westgate Street, Long Melford [1914], 295 Kingston Road, Merton, Surrey (1939).  Occupation: Process Printer (1911 to 1939).  Married: Bertha Dorothy Ambrose of Long Melford in 1910.  Service Record: Before the First World War Arthur was a member of 2^nd [Volunteer] Battalion, East Surrey Regiment.  He enlisted on 7.9.1914 as Pte.18335 with 4^th Battalion, Grenadier Guards and was posted to France from 16.3.1915 to 13.7.1915 as part of 3^rd Guards Brigade, Guards Division.  Private Oakley was initially returned to England for treatment to a hammer toe, which was amputated in August 1915.  In 1916 he underwent machine gun training, returning to the Western Front from 19.1.1917, and on 12.3.1918 was transferred as Pte.1933 to 4^th [Foot Guards] Battalion, Machine Gun Corps, within the same Division.  In March 1918 men from the Division fought three defensive battles during the German Spring Offensive: at St Quentin, Bapaume, and Arras.  By August the tide had turned, and the Guards were part of the push, which began with the Battle of Albert on 21.8.1918.  Four days later Arthur was wounded by poison gas, although he did not return to England until January 1919.  He received his discharge a month later.[2]  Died: Surrey Northeast in 1957.

Oakley, Clifford Gowers – Born: Long Melford Suffolk on 26.8.1896.[3]  Parents: Albert Oakley (Tailor) and Celia Dorcas [née Clarke].  Family Connections: Brother to Joseph Albert Oakley [b1890] and Jack Oakley [b1902].  Home: St Georges Terrace, Queens Road, Sudbury, Suffolk (1901), lodging at the Rose and Crown, Whiting Street, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk (1911), 20 The Downs, Dunmow, Essex [1919], 55, Church Street, Sudbury (1921), 47 Stortford Road, Dunmow (1939).  Occupation: Tailor (1911 to 1939), Auxiliary Fireman (1939).  Married: Nellie Cross in 1919.  Service Record: Clifford was conscripted on 31.8.1916 as Pte.6745 with 1/9^th [County of London] Battalion [Queen Victoria’s Rifles], London Regiment, being posted to France from 31.8.1916 to 23.12.1916 as part of 169^th [3^rd London] Brigade, 56^th [1^st London] Division.  His unit saw action at the Battles of Ginchy, Flers-Courcelette and Transloy Ridges in September and October of 1916, all phases of the Somme Offensive.  Before his discharge he was issued with a new service number as Rfn.393011.[4]  Died: Chelmsford, Essex in 1980.

Oakley, Frank Hugh – Born: Norwood, Surrey in 1896.  Parents: Harry Oakley (Coal Porter) and Mary.  Family Connections: Brother to Arthur Cecil Oakley [b1890].  Home: 11 Chapel Road, Victoria Place, Norwood, Surrey (1901), 82 Ladas Street, Norwood (1911).  Occupation: Invoice Clerk (1911).  Service Record: Frank enlisted as Pte.G/22508 with 1^st Battalion, The Queens [Royal West Surrey] Regiment, being posted to France on 17.7.1915 as part of 5^th Brigade, 2^nd Division.  In December 1915 his unit was transferred to 100^th Brigade in 33^rd Division and fought in several major actions during the Somme Offensive of 1916.[5]  Died: Frank was listed as missing presumed killed on 23.4.1917 at the Second Battle of the Scarpe and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial [ref: Bay 2.C.4.130], Arras, Pas-des-Calais, France.[6]

Oakley, Frank William – Born: Holborn, London in 1898.  Parents: William Oakley of Long Melford (Horsekeeper) and Jane [née Smith].  Home: 44 Ormond Yard, Camden, London [1898], 75 Lambs Conduit Street, Holborn (1911), 29 Rawlings Buildings, Clifton Street, Tottenham Court Road, London [1915].  Service Record: Frank enlisted on 26.2.1915 as Pte.3547 with 2/19^th [County of London] Battalion, London Regiment, as part of 180^th [2/5^th London] Brigade, 60^th [2/2^nd London] Division.  In his short military career, he was posted to three separate theatres of operation; first to the British Expeditionary Force in France from 24.6.1916, then to Salonika from 25.11.1916 and finally from 12.6.1917 as Pte.610864 to Egypt, where he saw action during the campaign in Palestine.[7]  Died: of wounds on 28.11.1917 and buried in Jerusalem War Cemetery [grave ref: C.52], Israel.[8]

Oakley, George – Born: Glemsford, Suffolk on 26.8.1885.[9]  Parents: Walter Oakley (Coconut Mat Weaver) and Susannah Matilda [née Suttle].  Family Connections: Brother to Henry Oakley [b1883].  Home: Egremont Street, Glemsford, Suffolk (1891 and 1901), 3 Back Lane, Long Melford (1911 to 1939), 10 Cordell Road, Long Melford [1963].  Occupation: Yarn Winder (1901), Coconut Mat Weaver for Whittle’s Matting Factory (1911) and [1916], Road Worker and Auxiliary Fireman (1939).  Married: Emma Wheeler in 1907.  Service Record: At the Melford Military Service Tribunal in October 1916 George’s employer applied for exemption on his behalf, which was refused.[10]  He was conscripted on 27.10.1916 as Pte.8490 with 5^th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, transferring as Pte.340626 to ‘C’ Company, 11^th Battalion, Bedfords.  By 3.12.1918 George was serving as Pte.55787 with 15^th Battalion, Essex Regiment, which had been sent to France in May of that year.  Private Oakley was transferred to the Army Reserve in March 1919.[11]  Died: Long Melford, Suffolk on 18.3.1963.[12]

Oakley, Harry William – Born: Poplar, London in 1893.  Parents: Charles Oakley of Long Melford (Horsekeeper) and Anne Maria [née Stearns].  Home: 23 Oban Street, Poplar, London (1901 to 1911).  Occupation: Junior Clerk (1911).  Married: May Jessie Walker in 1921.  Service Record: Harry enlisted on 15.5.1915 as Pte.2419, later Pte.477263 with 3/3^rd [East Anglia] Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.  On 11.12.1915 he was posted with his unit to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force as part 54^th [East Anglian] Division spending 1916 guarding the Suez Canal in Egypt.  In 1917 and 1918 he took part in the Palestine Campaign, returning to England in June 1919 before receiving his discharge in 1920.[13]  Died: Brentwood, Essex in 1968.

Oakley, Henry – Born: Glemsford, Suffolk on 10.6.1883.[14]  Parents: Walter Oakley (Coconut Mat Weaver) and Susannah Matilda [née Suttle].  Family Connections: Brother to George Oakley [b1885].  Home: Egremont Street, Glemsford (1891 and 1901), Back Lane, Long Melford [1915] to (1939).  Occupation: Coconut Mat Maker [1915], Factory Hand (1939).  Married: Margaret Jane Greer of Long Melford in 1902.  Service Record: Henry enlisted on 24.3.1915 as Pte.18727 with 3^rd [Reserve] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, transferring to ‘A’ Company, 7^th [Service] Battalion, Suffolks and posted to France from 19.10.1915 as part of 35^th Brigade, 12^th Division.  On 3.11.1915 the Battalion was ordered to relieve a section of the front line near Bethune known as Crown Trench.[15]  During this manoeuvre ‘A’ Company came under heavy fire and Private Oakley received a gunshot wound to the head, fracturing his skull.  He was returned to England on 19.11.1915, and after treatment was issued with a Silver War Badge and discharged as ‘unfit for military duty’ on 15.1.1916.[16]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk on 18.1.1960.

Oakley, Jack – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 17.6.1902[17]  Parents: Albert Oakley (Tailor) and Celia Dorcas [née Clarke].  Family Connections: Brother to Joseph Albert Oakley [b1890] and Clifford Gowers Oakley [b1896].  Home: St Catherines Road, Long Melford [1905], Park Terrace, St Marys Street, Long Melford (1911 to 1939).[18]  Occupation: Baker for Mr Coley of Long Melford (1921), General Labourer (1939).  Married: Constance Blythe in 1936.  Service Record: Jack was a member of the Local Defence Volunteers in Long Melford, being part 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.[19]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk 1965.

Oakley, Joseph Albert – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 2.1.1890.[20]  Parents: Albert Oakley (Tailor) and Celia Dorcas [née Clarke].  Family Connections: Brother to Clifford Gowers Oakley [b1896] and Jack Oakley [b1902].  Home: Station Road, Long Melford [1895], St Georges Terrace, Queens Road, Sudbury, Suffolk (1901), Temple End, Foxearth, Essex (1911), Park Terrace, St Marys Street, Long Melford [1914], The Street, Foxearth (1939).  Occupation: General Labourer (1911), Agricultural Labourer (1939).  Married: Rotha Margaretta Inch in 1918.  Service Record: Joseph served as a volunteer with ‘D’ Company, 5^th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment [Territorial] before 1914.  He enlisted on 30.9.1914 as Pte.1804 with 1/1^st Divisional Supply Column, Army Service Corps [East Anglian Division],[21] transferring on 10.5.1915 as Pte.S4/111152 to 257^th [Mechanical Transport] Company, Army Service Corps.  He was posted to France from 15.7.1915 with 19^th Divisional Supply Column, ASC, his division seeing action during the Somme Offensive of 1916, the battles of Third Ypres in 1917, and First Somme, Lys, and the Final Advance in Picardy in 1918.  Private Oakley received his discharge in May 1919.[22]  Died: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1970.

Notes – [1] 1939 Register for Merton and Morden District in Surrey. [2] For details of 4^th Grenadier’s movements see War Diary [WO 95/1223/2], and for the deployment of 4^th Guards MGC see War Diary [WO 95/1206/1].  See also his Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], 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].  [3] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 24.9.1896, St Catherines Mission Church, Long Melford.  [4] For details of Clifford’s time with 1/9^th County of London, see War Diary [WO 95/2963/1] and Chris M^cCarthy, The Somme: The Day-by-Day Account [London: Brockhampton Press, 1998], pp.97,100, 115 and 133.  Also see Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [5] Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [6] British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 [ref:839194] and Commonwealth War Grave Commission.  For details of 1^st Royal West Surrey’s movements in 1917 see the battalion War Diary [TNA – WO 97/2430].  [7] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Medal Roll [WO 329], and Medal Index Card [WO 372].  [8] British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 and Commonwealth War Grave Commission.  [9] Date of birth from the Baptism Register of 27.6.1886, St Marys Church, Glemsford, Suffolk.  The 1939 Register for Melford Rural District records an alternative date of 8.8.1885. [10] For the Tribunal’s ruling see Suffolk and Essex Free Press 25.10.1916. [11] 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]. [12] Date of death from the National Probate Calendar.  [13] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Medal Roll [WO 329], and Medal Index Card [WO 372].  [14] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 27.6.1886, St Marys Church, Glemsford, Suffolk. [15] For details of Henry’s time with 7^th Suffolks see War Diary [WO 95/1852/1] and Murphy, Lieutenant-Colonel C. C. R. The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927 [London: Hutchinson and Co, 1928], pp.130-33. [16] See also his Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War, Silver War Badge [WO 329] record [ref: 17329], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [17] Date of birth taken from the Admissions Register of 19.6.1905 for St Catherines Road Infants’ School [Bury Record Office ref: ADB 552/2/3]. The 1939 Register however records the date as 10.6.1902.  [18] Living with Mary Ann Oakley (grandmother) at Park Terrace in 1911 and 1921.  [19] Published by Marten & Son, Ltd., of Market Hill, Sudbury, Suffolk in 1946.  [20] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 10.3.1892, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford and the 1939 Register.  [21] This assumption is based on the record of Horace James Mills who enlisted on the same day and whose regimental number differs by only two digits.  [22] For details of Joseph’s movements see 19^th Divisional Supply Train’s War Diary [WO 95/892/1-2].  See also his 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].