PRIVATE 40722 WILLIAM ARTHUR PETTINGALE

SUFFOLK REGIMENT

1890 – 1917

William was born in Capel St Mary Suffolk in 1890 he was one of twelve children born to parents John Pettingale & Alice Helena Pettingale nee Finch they married in St Mary’s Church 25 Feb 1876. His father John was born in Wenham Magna now called Gt. Wenham in 1852 he was a farm worker and then a roadman for the Local Council he died in 1938 in Deben, his mother was born in Capel St Mary in 1857 and died 1938 in Ipswich. John and Alice were buried together in St Mary’s Church Capel St Mary on 29th December 1938. One of twelve children died as an infant the remaining eleven children were, John Henry b1876 d1958, Edward William b1878 d1914, Frederick Ernest b1880 d1966, Charles Bernard b1883 d1962, Elizabeth Alice b1886 d1938, Florence J b1889, Annie M b1893, Daisy b1895, Alfred Cecil b1898 , Dorothy Grace b1901, William Arthur b1890 d1917. All children were born in Capel St Mary and educated in the local school, by 1911 William was working as a Grocer’s assistant in Bredfield Suffolk.

William had enlisted in the Suffolk Regiment at Ipswich becoming Private 3884 Pettingale later he was posted to 2nd Battalion Suffolk Regiment as Private 40722 Pettingale. The 2nd Battalion had arrived in France in the August of 1914 and following stiff resistance to overwhelming odds at the battle of Le-Cateau where they lost 750 men killed wounded or missing from 1,000 including their commanding officer they were transferred to GHQ troops to regroup and reform following various movements in late 1915 they became part of 3 Division where they stayed for the rest of the war. It would be early 1916 that William would have joined the 2nd Battalion as a replacement, he would not have been in France before 1916 as he did not qualify for the 1914-15 Star. William was killed in action on 11th May 1917.

William is remembered with Honour:

1. •At Feuchy Chapel British Cemetary at Wancourt, Pas De Calais France.
   

2. •And on the Brass Plaque in St Mary’s Church, Capel St Mary Suffolk.
   

William was posthumously awarded:

1. •1914-1918 British War Medal
   

2. •1914-1919 Victory Medal
   

His next of Kin would also have received the Memorial Plaque and Scroll

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