Joseph Henry Rivett

A Private with the 17th Battalion, Joseph died on 4th of December 1917 at the age of 34. 

Joseph was born at Kirkley in 1883, a son of George Newark and Elizabeth Rivett. In 1891 his family lived at 5 Lovewell Road and this was still the family home in 1901 when Joseph was a carpenter, probably working with his father. 

On 2 March 1905 Joseph married Edith Warford at All Saints’ Church, Pakefield. Joseph was a carpenter living at Kirkley and Edith lived at Pakefield. In 1911 they lived at 33 Lorne Road, and Joseph was a carpenter.

Joseph enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Middlesex Regiment, service number G/46450. He was posted to the 17th Battalion in France. 

From 30 November to 3 December 1917 the 17th Battalion were involved in operations south of Moevres and had two withstand three enemy counter-attacks. The first attack came about 10 a.m. on 30 November. A counter-attack, led by Captain McReady-Diarmid, regained the situation. About 8 a.m. on 1 December the enemy made a number of bombing attacks and the enemy advanced about 300 yards before being held by A Company’s Lewis Guns. Again a counter-attack led by Captain McReady-Diarmid saved the situation. On 2 December the Battalion suffered due to heavy shelling which caused a number of casualties. The Battalion was relieved during the night of 3-4 December.

The casualties during the period 26 November to 3 December were:
Officers: 2 killed, 1 wounded and missing, 4 wounded
Other ranks: 40 killed, 2 missing, 138 wounded.

Although some records state that Joseph was killed in action on 4 December 1917, in fact the Battalion recorded no casualties that day. 

Joseph's brother-in-law, William Baker, served with the 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment and died in 1916.