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240503 1st/5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Bertie Felton was born in 1894 in Ballingdon, Sudbury, the second son of Frederick and Amelia Felton. His father was a ‘brewer’s cooper’ and the family lived at Robinson’s Yard in Ballingdon.
At the age of 17 Bertie was employed as day worker at a local mat manufacturer. He enlisted in Colchester and served with the Suffolk Regiment (formerly 2285) serving alongside other Sudbury men including his Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Morriss Armes, CSM William Hunt, Albert Byham, Harry Farrant, Percy Hume, Bertie Martin and David Pettit.
The battalion landed at Suvla Bay in early August 1915 and saw action against the Turks, advancing through heavy enemy fire without any artillery support from their own side to gain 1,300 yards. The battalion was garrisoned at Hill 60 and had to endure disease, swarms of flies, heat, water shortage and lack of transport.
After the battalion had been evacuated from Gallipoli and the men were sent to defend the Suez Canal. They would spend the rest of the war in the Middle East fighting the Turks. In 1917 the battalion saw action at the Second and Third Battles of Gaza and in September 1918 they fought at the decisive Battle of Megiddo which led to the destruction of the Ottoman armies. It is not known if Bertie was wounded or was one of the heavy toll of casualties from disease in this very harsh environment.
Bertie died on 11 October 1918 just one month before the Armistice and lies buried in Deir El Belah War Cemetery, Israel. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His older brother Frederick William also served with the Suffolk Regiment; he lost his life in December 1914 and is also remembered on the Sudbury War Memorial.
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