Jasper William Utting

A Private with the 7th Battalion, Jasper died on 9th of August 1917 at the age of 29. 

Jasper was born at Kessingland on 6 November 1887, a son of Benjamin and Caroline Jane Utting. In 1891 his family lived at Beach Road, Kessingland. On 21 July 1895 Jasper was baptised at Saint Edmund’s Church, Kessingland. In 1901 his family lived at The Beach, Kessingland. In 1911 they lived at Green Lane, Kessingland, and later at Hill Cottage, Kessingland Beach.

In 1911 Jasper worked on the trawler Golden Rule. 

Jasper volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 12618, and was posted to the 9th Battalion. He arrived in France with the 9th Battalion on 31 August 1915. Jasper was wounded and his name appears in the War Office Daily Casualty List 25 October 1916. Subsequently he was posted to the 7th Battalion. 

On 7 August 1917 the 7th Battalion moved into positions in the Wancourt-Feuchy area. On 8 August the battalion’s positions were shelled with gas. During the day the battalion withdrew to a feature known as The Cave in order to be sheltered from the British bombardment that was due to take place the next day. This was to be a very heavy bombardment intending to severely damage the German front line and allow raiding parties from various units, including the 7th Battalion, to move forward with the intention of taking prisoners and doing further damage to the German positions. The battalion war diary reports that the operation was a success.

Jasper was killed in action during the operation on 9 August.