18506 PRIVATE PELLS BERNARD CODLING
11TH (SERVICE) BATTALION SUFFOLK REGIMENT
(CAMBRIDGESHIRE)
DIED OF WOUNDS
26TH MARCH 1918
AGE 34 YEARS
Another lad who had been born in one of the local villages and would eventually set up home in Halesworth was Pells Codling, whose mother Emma (née Hambling) gave birth to him at the home she shared with her husband George, an Agricultural Labourer, in St Cross South Elmham during the second quarter of 1884. As with many boys born in this area of North Suffolk, after leaving the local school, he followed his father and was employed in working the land.
During the first half of 1901 Pells had enlisted to join the Halesworth Company of the 1st Battalion of the Suffolk Volunteer Rifle Corps. This citizen army of part-time Volunteers could trace their lineage back to 1804 at the time of the Napoleonic Wars. With the standing army away fighting the French or on garrison duties defending the Empire, it was felt that Britain had too few proficient forces available to fight any invading armies. These early volunteers and their successors would, over the following two hundred years, provide our country with men and later women who were trained and willing to leave hearth and home to serve our nation during national emergencies or all out war. An article in the Halesworth Times newspaper of the 11th June 1901, reporting on the latest group of eleven Volunteer recruits who had attended their first rifle range qualification shoot held at Southwold, related that Pells had attained the highest marks out of twenty shots, scoring a total of seventy-two points out of a possible score of eighty. How long he remained a Volunteer is not known, but in 1906 he married Bertha Chapman who hailed from the neighbouring village of St James South Elmham. Over the next few years, they moved around the district, with their first child, James, being born in Wissett and their daughter Laura’s birth being registered in Linstead. At the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914 Pells and Bertha, now with three children, were living at No.70 London Road, Halesworth, after he had found employment as a Horseman for Mr Sheldrake on his farm in Mells. Pells, now with a steady job plus a wife and three children to support, was not amongst the initial rush to join up to fight for King and Country. Later, the Halesworth Times of the 23rd February 1915 listed him among a group of twelve men from the district who had been recruited during the previous fortnight, with the majority, including Pells, destined to serve in the Suffolk Regiment, with whom he was issued with the regimental number of 18506. After a period of training he was eventually posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion, joining them in France on the 29th December 1915. Although not known at the time, this then qualified him to receive the 1915 Star medal by just two days. Over the following two years, he along with the 9th Suffolks, would be involved in many battles, including those on the Somme in 1916. By Christmas 1917 the Battalion was in the area of Bailleumont where they were said to have had a happy and restful time. This was followed by another short spell in the line during January 1918. It was during this period that information was received that the 9th Suffolks would be disbanded, with its Officers and Men being sent to other Regiments and Battalions. This situation had come about due to the huge losses suffered by the front-line infantry. It had therefore been decided to reduce the number of Battalions serving in a Brigade from four to three. On 5th February drafts of men were despatched from the 9th Suffolks to join the 11th (Service) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment known as the ‘Cambridge Pals’. It is assumed that Pells would have been amongst them. One positive note for these men would have been that at least they would be joining men from their own county and possibly comrades from their hometowns and villages.
In the period leading up to Pells’ death, reports written in the book recording the Suffolk Regimental History published in 1928, show that the 11th Suffolks were in trenches in the Sensee Valley when, at 3pm on the afternoon of the 21st March, the German artillery opened a bombardment onto their positions. This was quickly followed up by an infantry attack across their front, while low-flying German aircraft delivered machine gun fire into the British trenches. By the end of the day the Germans had captured a large section of the line bordering the French village of Saint-Leger. This caused the withdrawal of the entire British 183 Brigade, including the 11th Suffolks, back to their second line of defence, with the German Infantry hot on their heels.
The fighting continued all that night and the following few days until the situation was stabilised by the 24th March with the 11th Suffolks relieved. They then moved back to rest in the village of Agette. It would have been here that the casualty list for the Battalion would have been compiled. It was found they had lost in excess of two hundred all ranks. Sadly Pells would join them, for on the 26th March, while in a field hospital, he died of his wounds. He now lies at rest in Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
The Halesworth Times of the 2nd April 1918, in reporting Pells’ death, also related that this had been a particularly difficult time for his wife Bertha as she had been unwell for several weeks whilst caring for her nine year old daughter Laura, who was suffering from tuberculosis, a killer disease which she sadly died from within days of the news of her father’s passing.
On the 27th July 1918 Bertha was granted a weekly pension for herself and her two remaining children of £1 5s 5d (£1.27p) with a lump sum gratuity of £24 18s 0d (£24.90p) paid in November 1919.
As well as the financial sums of money Bertha, would also have received Pell’s medal awards of the 1915 Star Trio, his named memorial plaque and scroll.
The location of his three medals is unknown, with the plaque in a private collection.
Pells Bronze Memorial plaque mounted in a contemporary frame.