|
172830 164th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
Maurice Hempstead was born in Plaistow, London in 1898 and was the only son of Thomas Arthur and Gertrude Mary Hempstead (née Martin). Both his parents were born in Sudbury, his father like many male members from both sides of the family worked at the Chilton Brickworks. By 1901 the family had returned to Sudbury and Maurice lived with his parents and sister Mary in Newton Road before the family later moved to 6 Harp Close Road.
Maurice served with the 164th Siege Battery which was in France from September 1916. A siege battery was equipped with heavy howitzers which sent high explosive shells behind enemy lines destroying enemy artillery, strongpoints, stores, roads and railways.
In March 1918 the Germans launched their Spring Offensive. Operation Michael was a vast attack along the whole Somme sector front with the aim to destroy the British Army. The Germans advanced quickly and deeply with heavy losses for the Allies during March and April 1918.
Maurice died of wounds aged 19 on 1 May 1918 and lies buried in Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. A Cross of Remembrance was laid by his grave in March 2014.
He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Maurice is also remembered on the Trinity Congregational Church Memorial which was moved to the United Reformed Church, School Street when Trinity closed. The United Reformed Church closed in 2017 and it is proposed that the memorials from both churches will be relocated to the Sudbury Cemetery Chapel.
Back to Roll of Honour
|
