Ivo Smalls
The soldier:
Ivo Smalls of Snettisham enlisted in to the army on 22nd September 1914 in East Dereham, Norfolk.
His enlistment papers record that he was 36 years and 8 months old at the time and his occupation was a bricklayer. He is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, with light blue eyes, light brown hair and fresh complexion.
Ivo was assigned to the 5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment and given regimental number 240652. However, it would appear from his papers that Ivo had previously served for 8 years in that same Battalion as a volunteer and this information, coupled with the early date of his enlistment (Britain only having just entered the war) would suggest someone keen to protect and serve their country in a territorial regiment they were already familiar with.
Army records show that he saw active service in France before embarking with comrades for Egypt on the 12th September 1916 aboard the M.S ‘Empress of Britain’, arriving on the 21st September 1916 in Alexandria.
Ivo Smalls was ‘killed in action’ on Thursday 19th April 1917 whilst serving as a Private in the 5th Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment. He was 40 years old. His death coming on the 1st day of the infamous ‘2nd Battle of Gaza’ in which the entrenched, defending Turkish Ottoman forces inflicted initial appalling losses on the attacking allied forces.
A historical description of the action in which Ivo died describes events as;
The attack by the 163rd (Norfolk & Suffolk) Brigade (on the east of the 162nd Brigade) was led by a tank towards an Ottoman redoubt 1 mile (1.6 km) northwest of Kh. Sihan. They advanced with the 4th Battalion Norfolk Regiment on the left and the 5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment on the right. While fighting their way to within 500 yards (460 m) of their objective, about two thirds of the 4th Battalion Norfolk Regiment became casualties while the remainder were pinned down. Despite being reinforced by the 8th Battalion Hampshire Regiment, no more ground was gained during fighting, which saw the Hampshires also suffer very heavy losses. Meanwhile, at 09:00 the tank, followed by part of the 5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment on the right, entered a redoubt, capturing 20 prisoners and killing others of the hostile garrison. The fire from several hostile artillery batteries was concentrated on the redoubt, destroying the tank and killing most of the infantrymen. So many casualties were suffered by this battalion that they were unable to withstand a strong counterattack, during which the survivors were captured. The few who managed to escape were forced back to the ridge from which they had launched their attack. These three battalions lost 1,500 men, including two commanding officers and all twelve company commanders. At 13:00 the 161st (Essex) Brigade was ordered to reinforce the line held by the 163rd Brigade. Subsequently, the 5th Battalion Suffolk Regiment (163rd Brigade), and the 6th Battalion Essex Regiment (161st Brigade) made a fresh attack on the redoubt which had briefly been captured by the 5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. At 14:20, before this advance had become “seriously engaged”, orders were received for the whole line to stand fast. Eastern Force ordered the divisions to dig in on the line they occupied. During the battle three tanks were captured by the Ottoman defenders.
Private Ivo Smalls was initially buried local to where he fell in battle but his body was later exhumed in order to be respectfully re-buried with his fallen comrades in the British Gaza War Cemetery, Palastine/Israel overseen in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. He is now buried in Grave XXIII D.2 there.
Ivo Smalls name is inscribed on both of Snettisham’s war memorials and appears on its ‘Roll of Honour’.
The man:
Ivo Smalls was born in Snettisham in the first months of 1877 (his birth being registered in Docking). His parents were Frederick and Elizabeth (nee Barnes) Smalls who had married on the 19th July 1868 in Holkham. Frederick was born in North Creake and Elizabeth in Wells-Next-The-Sea.
Frederick and Elizabeth had moved to Snettisham shortly after their marriage and some years prior to Ivo’s birth as the 1871 census lists them as residing there along with Ivo’s older brother Walter (born 9th February 1869) and Elizabeth’s mother Mary Barnes (aged 51).
By the 1881 census, Frederick (now 45) and Elizabeth (now 39) were still living in Snettisham. Frederick’s occupation was listed as a carpenter. The couple have had further children since Walter and the last census; May (bn. 6th April 1872), Fred (bn. 8th November 1875) , Ivo and Eva (bn. 6th February 1879). Elizabeth’s mother Mary is still living with the family.
Tragically, Ivo’s mother, Elizabeth died the following year, when he was just 5 years old. She was buried on 23rd March 1882 in St. Mary’s churchyard, Snettisham.
Ivo Smalls joined Snettisham school on the 3rd March 1884 and remained there for his entire schooling, leaving on 19th July 1889. The contemporaneous ‘School Register’ records him as becoming a bricklayer upon leaving (Snettisham school is the village’s still existing primary and can chart its history/pupils back to 1875).
Ivo had followed his brothers, Walter (being only its 29th ever pupil) and Fred and his sister May in to the school and was later followed by his sister Eva and nephew Louis, who all remained for their entire schooling.
The family are still residing in Snettisham in the 1891 census. Frederick is now 51 and still working as a carpenter. Walter is now 21 and he, Fred (now 15) and Ivo (now 13) are working as bricklayers. May is 19 and at home and Eva is 12 and at school.
By the 1901 census May has left home along with Ivo’s brother Fred, but Frederick (now 58), Walter (now 23), Ivo (now 24) and Eva (now 22) are still living together in Snettisham along with Louis Clyde Smalls recorded as Frederick’s ‘grandson’.
Sadly, Ivo’s older brother Walter developed an illness and was admitted to hospital on the 13th August 1904. He died on the 1st November 1905 and was buried in St. Mary’s churchyard, Snettisham on the 6th November 1905.
Ivo’s father Frederick died in Snettisham at the age of 72 in 1911. His death being recorded in Docking in the last 3 months of that year.
By the 1911 census, Ivo has moved to No1. Malt House Yard, Snettisham where he lives with his sister May (now 39) and her husband Alfred Bowman (aged 43). Alfred’s occupation is listed as bricklayer. Alfred and May have three children of their own; Mona (born 1899), Maurice (born 1902), Alfreda (born 1905) and Eunice (born 1910). Ivo is recorded as being 33, single and a bricklayer. Also living with them is Louis Smalls (now 19). Louis is now recorded as Alfred’s ‘stepson’ so it is reasonable to conclude he was May’s son from a prior relationship. Louis is following his uncles and working as a bricklayer. A young child, Godfrey Smalls (aged 2) is shown with the family.
Ivo’s sister Eva is recorded as living at 1M Portman Mansions, East Street, Marlybone, London in the 1911 census as a ‘live in’ domestic servant. His brother Fred is shown living in Heacham with his wife, Edith and their children, Cyril and Albert (aged 10 and 9 respectively).
The last public record available for Ivo is the 1915 register of electors (published only a few months after his enlistment). This indicates the Bowman’s had moved from Malt House Yard to an address in Station Road, Snettisham by this time as Ivo is listed as residing ‘1st floor bedroom, Station Road, Snettisham’ with a landlord ‘Mrs Bowman’.
The Army’s register recording where the effects of Private Ivo Smalls of the Norfolk Regiment were to be sent and army correspondence lists Mary Bowman of Station Road, Snettisham as this soldier’s sister and sole beneficiary.
Ivo’s siblings Fred, May and Eva all survived the war and lived to old age. Eva married Alfred C Gray in 1920 (the marriage being registered in Docking).
Picture; May Smalls (Bowman) – Ivo’s next-of-kin taken in later life – with thanks to Chuck Nelson, USA
