Gordon William Jenner

A Private with the 12th Battalion, Gordon died on 12th of April 1918 at the age of 22. 

Gordon was born at Lowestoft in 1896, a son of George Frederick and Violet Maria Jenner. Throughout his life Gordon’s family lived at 39 Reeve Street. In 1911 Gordon was an upholsterer’s apprentice. 

Gordon enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 21427, and was posted to France to serve with the 12th Battalion. 

By 9 April 1918 the 12th Battalion were in reserve billets at Fleurbaix. That morning a heavy enemy bombardment began, and the battalion stood to at 7 a.m. to man defences including Durham Post, Abel Post to Limit Post (B Company), Moulin Farm and Canteen Farm. At 11 a.m. the whole line came under heavy machine-gun fire and several of the battalion’s Lewis Guns were put out of action: the fighting was severe and continuous. By 4.30 p.m., with both flanks in the air, the battalion withdrew to the vicinity of Fort Rompu. They then fell back toward the River Lys. At 10 a.m. on the 10th the battalion were subject to heavy enemy shelling and machine-gun fire and were driven back towards Erquinghem and fighting continued throughout the day. At 4 p.m. they were ordered to cross the River Lys and hold Erquinghem Switch to Lancashire Post and Wigan Post, but the enemy had also managed to cross the river. Early on the 11th they were ordered to Nieppe and, by this time, had formed a mixed unit with men of the 13th Yorkshire Regiment and details of the 20th Middlesex Regiment. At 8 a.m. they were dug in near the mill. At 2 p.m. they launched an attack towards Papot and La Rue Du Sac. This attack was successful, but 70 men were lost, and the battalion were ordered to hold their new positions until 8.30 p.m. when they withdrew. That night they marched to La Creche and then Strazeele, where they dug in and were again in reserve. The night of the 12th was quiet, but they were shelled, and their forward Lewis Gun post knocked out. 

The battalion’s casualties for April 1918 were five officers and 417 men.

Gordon was reported missing between 8 and 12 April 1918 and later presumed to have died on by 12 April.