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3941 4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Bertie Bareham was born in Sudbury in 1889, the son of Henry Bertie and Emma Bareham. In 1891 he was living at 8 Girling Street with his widowed grandmother Sarah Bitten and mother Emma, who was employed as a silk weaver. By 1911 Bertie was boarding with the Filer family at 21 Newmans Road and was employed as a hawker’s assistant.
He enlisted in Bury St. Edmunds and served with the Suffolk Regiment. It is not known when Bertie joined the battalion which in February 1916 became part of 98th Brigade, 33rd Division. During the Somme offensive in the 1916 the battalion saw action at the Battle of Bazentin Ridge (14-17 July). On the evening of 17th and early morning of 18th August the battalion moved into position ready to attack following a 26 hour British bombardment which pounded High Wood. Along with the 4th King’s Liverpool they were to attack Wood Lane when the attack was launched at 2.45pm. None of the King’s Liverpool men made it, some of Bertie’s battalion did reach the lane but were forced out by the barrage and fire from the well defended German positions.
Bertie was killed in action on 18 August 1916. There is no known grave and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
A Cross of Remembrance was laid at the Thiepval Memorial in April 2006 and April 2009.
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