Sydney Charles Gillings

A Private with the 2nd Battalion, Sydney died on 22nd of January 1916 at the age of 33. 

Sydney was born at Blundeston in 1883, a son of Charles Elijah and Ellen Gillings. He was baptised at Saint Mary’s Church, Blundeston, on 4 February 1883. In 1891 his family lived at High Street, Blundeston. By 1901 their address was The Street, Blundeston, and Sydney was a bricklayer’s labourer. Later his parents lived near The Plough, Blundeston. 

On 5 September 1908 Charles married Ethel Louise Dade at Old Buckenham, Norfolk. Charles was a bricklayer, living at Blundeston, and Ethel lived at Old Buckenham. In 1911 they lived at Down Moor, Old Buckenham, and Sydney was a bricklayer. 

Sydney volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 18380. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion and arrived in France on 24 August 1915. 

At 2 a.m. on 22 January 1916 the Germans exploded a mine beneath the 'Bluff' trenches, close to the Ypres-Comine Canal, held by the 2nd Battalion Suffolk Regiment. The explosion created a crater 60 by 40 yards wide and 40 yards deep. About 100 men were killed, buried alive, or injured by the explosion. The Germans did not follow up the explosion with an attack, but hampered rescue efforts with rifle fire. Sydney was among those killed at that time.

Sydney’s brother Cornelius served with the 7th Battalion Suffolk Regiment and died in 1915. His nephew, Sydney Charles Gillings, served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and died in 1944.