THIS week we remember one Redditch soldier and another from Studley who died this week 100 years ago during the First World War.
Robert Yoxall was born at 133 Ipsley Street, Redditch in 1893, one of the nine children of Thomas Henry Yoxall and his wife Ellen. Thomas Henry worked as a carpenter, Ellen as a needle straightener.
The family lived at Waterloo Villas, Crabbs Cross, and by the 1911 census Robert was working as a timekeeper in a needle factory.
He enlisted in Kitchener’s New Army, serving with the 2/7th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshires, together with Private John Bond, aged 24, from Studley.
Pte Bond was a member of the Boys Brigade, played cricket for Coughton and before the war worked at the BSA factory in Redditch. His father was a stationer on Station Road in the village.
On April 7 the 2/7th moved up into the line just short of Fresnoy Le Petit north of St Quentin, and the following day their unit attacked it.
The advancing Warks found themselves facing a wall of fire as the Germans withdrew from the village, inflicting ‘many casualties’ as they did so.
The regimental diary reported: “All ranks behaved with great gallantry and determination, holding on to positions under extremely adverse conditions.”
The following day, April 9, the unit consolidated their position before being relieved.
It is likely that both local soldiers were either killed or received fatal wounds on April 8.
Robert Yoxall is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France and on the war memorial at St Stephen’s, John Bond on the war memorial in Studley.
With thanks to Remembering Redditch’s Fallen Heroes and the Great War Forum.
