Bertie Richard Hubbard

A Private with the 11th Battalion, Bertie died on 15th of April 1918 at the age of 24. 

Bertie was born at Lowestoft on 25 October 1894, a son of Frederick William and Eliza (Edith) Hubbard. On 31 May 1899 he became a pupil at Kirkley School, and his family lived at Clement Square. In 1901 his family lived at 3 Ontario Road and in 1911 they lived at 7 Church Street, Pakefield, and Bertie worked as an errand boy for a beer retailer. Later his parents lived at 21 Southwell Road. 

Bertie volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 9248, and was posted to the 7th Battalion, arriving in France with the battalion on 30 May 1915. Bertie was wounded and his name appears in the official casualty list, the War Office Daily List, of 1 November 1915. He was wounded for a second time and his name appears in the War Office Daily List of 8 August 1916. It appears that subsequently he was posted to the 9th Battalion and when this battalion was disbanded in France in 1918, he was posted to the 11th Battalion. 

On 5 April 1918 the 11th Battalion occupied billets at Erquinghem, France. The Germans began bombing Erquignhem on 9 April and the battalion immediately moved into front line trenches in anticipation of an attack which came from the direction of Fleurbaux, but was driven back. A second attack from the Feurbaix area took place on 10 April and later that day the battalion were ordered to withdraw to north of the River Lys. A further withdrawal on the 11th was hampered by sniper and machine-gun fire but the battalion reached the Armentieres-Bailleul railway. On the 12th the battalion moved into attack formation about one mile south-east of Bailleul and late in the morning became involved in the fighting. The next day there was a heavy artillery bombardment and the enemy attacked in force from Outerstern and the battalion had to fall back. During the 14th the battalion took up positions near Bailleul railway station and late in the day they were relieved and marched to Meulehook. On the 15th due to enemy advances they were again in the front line. The next day they were patrolling and digging in. During the 17th there was heavy shelling and attempts by the enemy to advance. The battalion were relieved at 2 a.m. on April 18. 

The battalion’s casualties between 9 and 19 April were:
Officers: four killed; four died of wounds; five missing, ten wounded
Other ranks: 39 killed; three died of wounds; 272 missing; 157 wounded

Bertie died of wounds on 15 April 1918.