Basil Owen Coleby

A Lance Corporal with the 2/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, Basil died on 21st of April 1918 at the age of 26. 

Basil was born at Lowestoft on 2 July 1891, a son of William and Sarah Coleby. In 1901 his family lived at 261 Raglan Street. By 1911 Basil’s family were living at 7 Selby Street, and Basil worked as a fish curer. 

Before the First World War Basil served with the 1st Norfolk Royal Garrison Artillery (Territorial Force) for fifteen months. 

Basil was living at 39 Park Road and working as a brewer’s labourer when he attested for the Army at Lowestoft on 15 October 1914. He joined the 6th (Cyclist) Battalion Suffolk Regiment, service number 1516. 

Basil was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on 25 May 1915. He was reduced to Private on 7 August 1915, for neglect of duty, but was again appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on 10 September 1915. At a medical board on 29 October 1915 Basil was diagnosed with valvular disease of the heart. A subsequent medical board, in January 1916, felt that his condition was not attributable to his service, but aggravated by it, and that Basil would be totally unable to work for at least two months. 

Basil was discharged, at Skegness, on 6 February 1916 ‘being no longer physically fit for war service’. It is unclear, from Basil’s service papers, when he was posted to the 2/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, but this was his unit when discharged. 

When discharged Basil stated that he would be living at 60 Ipswich Road and intended to work as a baker. Basil was awarded the Silver War Badge. 

Basil was living at 8 Factory Street and working as a brewer’s drayman when he died. His exact cause of death is not known, but given that he was given a Commonwealth War Graves headstone it must have been in some way connected to his military service. He was buried at Lowestoft Cemetery on 25 April 1918.