Selected Biographies

Wells, Albert Arthur – Born: Foxearth, Essex in 1898.  Parents: Edward George Wells aka Parmenter (Horseman on Farm) and Sarah Ann [née Deaves].  Family Connections: Brother to William John Wells aka Parmenter [b1884] and George Edward Wells [b1888].  Home: St Marys Street, Long Melford (1901), Ivy Cottage, Cats Lane, Great Cornard, Suffolk [1918].  Service Record: Albert was a member of 3^rd [Militia] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment before 1914.  Within days of the outbreak of the First World War he enlisted on 28.4.1914 as Pte.3/9451 with 1^st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, being posted to France from January to October 1915 as part of 84^th Brigade, 28^th Division and seeing action during the Second Battles of Ypres and at the Battle of Loos.  In January 1916 he moved with his unit to Salonika later renumbering as Pte.70409.  By the end of the War he had moved to 2^nd Battalion, receiving his discharge in April 1919 due to effects of malaria contracted on campaign in Macedonia.[1]

Wells, George Edward – Born: Pentlow, Essex in 1888.  Parents: Edward George Wells aka Parmenter (Horseman on Farm) and Sarah Ann [née Deaves].  Family Connections: Brother to William John Wells aka Parmenter [b1884] and Albert Arthur Wells aka Parmenter [b1898].   Home: 10 Blacksmiths Street, Pentlow, Essex (1891), St Marys Street, Long Melford (1901), Mill Lane, Witham, Essex (1911), 71 Maldon Road, Witham [1924 to 1930].[2]  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1911).  Married: Alice Jane Bickmore in 1910.  Service Record: George enlisted in 1908 as Gdmn.8745 with 1^st Battalion, Grenadier Guards, posted to Leinster in Ireland and discharged in 1909.  It is not known if he saw service during the First World War as no definitive record has been found, however he is listed under War Office [WO 97 series] records as a Chelsea Pensioner, which may suggest that he served as a regular soldier after 1909.[3]

Wells, Harry William – Born: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1888.  Parents: Harry Wells (Coconut Mat Maker) and Christina Katherine [née Townsend].  Family Connections: Brother to Joseph Pearsons Wells [b1890], Philip George Wells [b1893] and Samuel Walter Wells [b1896]; also, brother-in-law of James Middleditch of Long Melford [b1883].  Home: 2 Brands Yard, Church Street, Sudbury, Suffolk (1891 to 1901), 4 Mill Lane, Sudbury (1911), 10 Vine Cottages, Camps Road, Haverhill, Suffolk [1918], 35 Victoria Street, Dovercourt, Essex (1921).  Occupation: Nurseryman’s Labourer (1911), Railway Ticket Collector (1921).  Married: Beatrice Badock in 1919.  Service Record: Harry enlisted on 4.5.1915 as Pte. G/7572 and posted to France from 12.12.1915 to 26.4.1916 with 6^th [Service] Battalion, The Buffs [East Kent Regiment], as part of 37^th Brigade, 12^th [Eastern] Division.  During his brief spell on the Western Front, he received a gunshot wound to his left arm, resulting on him being issued with a Silver War Badge and receiving his discharged on 7.8.1917.[4]

Wells, Joseph Pearsons – Born: Sudbury, Suffolk on 22.9.1890.[5]  Parents: Harry Wells (Coconut Mat Maker) and Christina Katherine [née Townsend].  Family Connections: Brother to Harry William Wells [b1888], Philip George Wells [b1893] and Samuel Walter Wells [b1896]; also, brother-in-law of James Middleditch of Long Melford [b1883].  Home: 2 Brands Yard, Church Street, Sudbury, Suffolk (1891 to 1901), 17 Fairfield Road, Clacton-On-Sea, Essex (1939).  Occupation: Hotel Kitchen Porter (1939).  Married: Daisy H. Chapman in 1918.  Service Record: Joseph enlisted on 6.9.1914 as Pte.16782 with 5^th [Service] Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales’s [Royal Berkshire Regiment] being posted to France on 30.5.1915 as part of 35^th Brigade, 12^th (Eastern) Division, later transferring as Pte.242697 to 1/6^th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment under the command of 48^th (South Midland) Division’s 143^rd (Warwickshire) Brigade; both units seeing action during the Somme Offensive of 1916.  On 9.11.1917 he was issued with a Silver War Badge and discharged due to sickness.[6]  Died: Newton Abbot, Devon in 1972.

Wells, Phillip George – Born: Sudbury, Suffolk on 25.1.1893.[7]  Parents: Harry Wells (Coconut Mat Maker) and Christina Katherine [née Townsend].  Family Connections: Brother to Harry William Wells [b1888], Joseph Pearsons Wells [b1890] and Samuel Walter Wells [b1896]; also, brother-in-law of James Middleditch of Long Melford [b1883].  Home: 2 Brands Yard, Church Street, Sudbury, Suffolk (1901), 4 Mill Lane, Sudbury (1911), Bull Hotel, Hall Street, Long Melford (1939).  Occupation: Coconut Mat Finisher (1911), Scullery Man (1939).  Service Record: Phillip was conscripted on 13.12.1915 as Pte.9714 with the Suffolk Regiment, transferring as Pte.40068 to 1^st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, being posted to France from 29.8.1916 to 17.1.1917 as part of 15^th Brigade, 5^th Division.  During the Somme Offensive his battalion saw action at the Battles of Guillemont and Morval in September 1916.  Private Wells was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the lung, issued with a Silver War Badge and discharged on 9.7.1917.[8]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1949.

Wells, Samuel Walter – Born: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1896.  Parents: Harry Wells (Coconut Mat Maker) and Christina Katherine [née Townsend].  Family Connections: Brother to Harry William Wells [b1888], Joseph Pearsons Wells [b1890] and Philip George Wells [b1893]; also, brother-in-law of James Middleditch of Long Melford [b1883].  Home: 2 Brands Yard, Church Street, Sudbury, Suffolk (1901), 4 Mill Lane, Sudbury (1911).  Occupation: Coir Fibre Winder (1911).  Service Record: Although no definitive military record has been found, Samuel possibly enlisted with the Suffolk Regiment.  If this assumption is correct then he served as Pte.13993 in 4^th and 8^th Battalions, both units seeing action on the Western Front.[9]

Wells, William John – Born: Clare, Suffolk on 14.9.1884.[10]  Parents: Edward George Wells aka Parmenter (Horseman on Farm) and Sarah Ann [née Deaves].  Family Connections: Brother to George Edward Wells [b1888] and Albert Arthur Wells aka Parmenter [b1898].  Home: Blacksmiths Street, Pentlow, Essex (1891), Ivy Cottage, Cats Lane, Great Cornard, Suffolk (1911 to 1939).[11]  Occupation: Porter [1900], Stockkeeper in a Glass and China Shop (1911), Incapacitated (1939).  Married: Alice Martha Parmenter in 1906.[12]  Service Record: William enlisted as William John Parmenter in 1900 as Gnr.5220 with the Royal Garrison Artillery, posted to Bermuda from 1901 to 1905, transferring to the Army Reserve in 1907 and receiving his discharge in 1912.[13]  Died: Great Cornard, Suffolk in 1947.

Related Biography

Middleditch, James – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 15.4.1883. Parents: Charlotte Alice Middleditch (Dressmaker).  Family Connections: Brother-in-law of Harry William Wells [b1888], Joseph Pearsons Wells [b1890], Philip George Wells [b1893] and Samuel Walter Wells [b1896].  Home: St Marys Street, Long Melford (1891), lodging with Arthur Welch at High Street, Standon, Hertfordshire (1901).  Occupation: Railway Porter (1901), Carman [1902]. Married: Florence Mary Wells in 1909.  Service Record: James enlisted in 1902 as Pte.258 with the Royal Army Medical Corps, being posted to South Africa for service during the Second Anglo-Boer War.  Private Middleditch received his discharge in 1907.[14]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk on 23.5.1910.

Notes – [1] [WO 329 – Silver War Badge ref: B343132], Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 [ref: 6/MP/1777], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329], and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [2] Address from 1924 from the Electoral Roll.  [3] My thanks to Alan Simmonds of Sudbury for bringing this record to my attention.  [4] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329], Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372], [WO 329 – Silver War Badge [ref: 125396], and Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 [ref:11/M/88145].  [5] 1939 Register. [6] Silver War Badge [WO 329] record [ref: 264316], Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 [ref:11/M/250937], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329], and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [7] 1939 Register. [8] For details of 1^st Bedford’s movements see War Diary [WO 95/1570].  See also his Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Silver War Badge [WO 329] record [ref: 248532], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [9] See his proposed Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372]. [10] Baptism Register 19.10.1884 St Marys Church, Cavendish, Suffolk and the 1939 Register.  [11] Recorded as William Parmenter on the UK Census of 1911 and the 1939 Register.  [12] Recorded as William John Parmenter.  [13] Chelsea Hospital British Army Service Record [WO 97].  [14] Militia Service Records 1806-1915 [WO 96]