Joseph William Dymoth Alcock

A Private with 8th Bn., Joseph died on 31st of July 1917 at the age of 26. 

Joseph was born at Lowestoft on 9th May 1891, a son of Charles Henry and Mary Ann Rosemond Alcock. He was baptised at Saint Margaret's Church on 14th June 1891 and his family lived at 39 Jacobs Street.

By 1911 his family were living at 39 Seago Street and Joseph was an apprentice sail maker.

During the First World War Joseph volunteered to serve in the Army and he joined the Suffolk Regiment. He arrived in France 17th August 1915 and joined the 8th Battalion. 

Joseph was wounded twice during 1916 and his name appears in the official casualty lists dated 27 August and 6 December.   

Joseph had home leave/furlough and on 29 April 1917 he married Florence May Love at Saint Margaret's Church. Florence lived at 100 Haward Street, Lowestoft.

Joseph returned to France. By late July 1917 he was again serving with D Company of the 8th Battalion who were in Belgium. On 31 July 1917 the 8th were involved in an attack on the German positions on the Ypres-Menin Road: this was the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele. On that day D Company were to pass through Sanctuary Wood, to the Menin Road, and advance from there. The battalion lost men due to shell-fire while passing through Sanctuary Wood and when trying to advance from the Menin Road were held up by a machine-gun in an enemy strong point that inflicted many casualties. 

In the attack D Company had two officers wounded, 11 men killed, including Joseph, 29 men wounded, and 11 men missing.