Henry Alfred Tuttle

A Private with the 11th Battalion, Henry died on 9th of April 1918 at the age of 24. 

Henry was born at Bradfield, Norfolk, on 21 May 1893, a son of James and Alice Ellen Tuttle. In 1901 his family lived at Toftwood, East Dereham. On 24 February 1902 Henry became a pupil at Cunningham School and his family lived at 9 Nelson Terrace, Pakefield, then on 6 January 1903 he joined Saint Margaret’s School, and his family lived at 1 Cathcart Street. In 1911 their home was at White House, near the School, Oulton, and Henry worked at an iron foundry. Later his mother lived at 1 Sunshine Terrace, Oulton Broad. 

Henry volunteered and in autumn 1914 he enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 13937, and was posted to the 8th Battalion 8th Battalion, arriving in France with the battalion on 25 July 1915. Henry received a gunshot wound to his head in late October 1916 and his name appears in the official casualty list, the War Office Daily List, of 21 December 1916. Subsequently he was posted to the 9th Battalion and, when that battalion was disbanded in February 1918, he was posted to the 11th Battalion and joined the Headquarters Company. 

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. 

What precisely happened to Henry is not known. He was reported missing at some point between 9 April and 19 April 1918 and in October 1918 was presumed to have been killed in action between those dates. However both Soldiers Died in the Great War and medal records give his date of death as 18 April. 

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