George Robert Rackham

A Private with the 9th Battalion, George died on 21st of March 1918 at the age of 37. 

George was born at Lowestoft on 14 January 1881, a son of George Isaac and Pheobe Tripp Rackham. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church on 6 March 1881. His family lived at 5 Tonning Street. By 1891 they were living at 30 Raglan Street, and this was still their home in 1901 when George worked as a grocer. 

On 18 August 1901 George married Alice Maud Colman at Saint Margaret’s Church. George was an assistant (grocer) living at 30 Raglan Street, and Alice lived near Albert Street. In 1911 they lived at 6 Saint Margaret’s Plain and George was a grocer’s assistant. Later Alice lived at 12 Winnipeg Road. 

George enlisted in the Army at Bury St. Edmunds on 2 December 1916. He joined the East Surrey Regiment, service number 23476. He was sent to the 3rd Battalion at Dover. On 11 October 1916 he was posted to France to join the 1st Battalion, and, on 15 November 1916, he was posted to the 9th Battalion. 

On 18 March 1918 the 9th Battalion were at the Vermad rest camp. On 21 March the enemy bombardment commenced at 4.30 a.m. The battalion ‘stood-to’ but the camp was not heavily shelled. However, there were casualties. Shells hit the transport lines killed a few men and horses. At 7.30 a.m. the hut in which the battalion signallers were living was hit, killing two and wounding six. At 10 a.m. the battalion moved forward to man the ridge between Villecholles and Maissemy. About 1 p.m. the commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Le Fleming, was killed by a sniper. 

George was killed in action on 21 March.

The battalion’s casualties for March 1918 were:
Officers: three killed; nine wounded; 13 missing
Other ranks: 23 killed; 152 wounded; 215 missing