Stanley Walter Baxter

A Private with 1st Bn., Stanley died on 11th of October 1918 at the age of 19. 

Stanley was born at Barnby on 30 May 1899, a son of Walter James and Amelia Marcella Baxter. He was baptised at Saint John the Baptist Church, Barnby, on 25 June 1899. In 1901 his family lived at Barnby Green. In 1911 their address was 'near the Post Office, Barnby Green.'

In 1915 Stanley began work as a porter with the Great Eastern Railway at the Barnby Siding, Carlton Colville.

In June 1917 he enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. Initially he served with the 107th Battalion Training Reserve, number TR/Lon/75176. He was transferred to the Royal Fusiliers and arrived in France on 5 April 1918 to join the 1st Battalion. The Battalion War Diary for 11 October 1918 reads:

Battalion went through a heavy barrage at Rieux when assembling for attack at 4 a.m. The intention was to pass through the 73rd Brigade. The Battalion was held up by enemy machine-guns before reaching the first objective. Casualties were very heavy. It was impossible to advance against such fire owing to the nature of the country. Had there been artillery co-operation or a single tank the 3rd objective could easily have been gained. During the morning and whilst the 73rd Brigade were actually being relieved, the enemy sent one tank forward which fired a burst of machine-gun fire and a few shrapnel and immediately returned. During the night patrols were pushed out and the enemy having retired, posts were established on high ground west of Villers en Cauchies and St. Aubert.
Casualties: 
Three officers killed and four wounded. 
Other ranks 40 killed, 181 wounded, 4 missing.   

Stanley was killed in action on 11 October 1918.