Bertie Graver
The Soldier:
Bertie Graver enlisted in to the army in East Dereham, Norfolk. He was assigned to the Essex Regiment and given regimental number 14971.
On the 23rd March 1918, at the age of 27 he was ‘killed in action’ whilst serving as a Private in its 10th Battalion.
His name is inscribed on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panel 51 and 52. It also appears on Snettisham’s ‘Roll of Honour’ and both its memorials alongside the names of his brothers Harry (Henry) and George who were both also lost to the war.
The man:
Bertie Graver was born on the 27th July 1890 in Snettisham to John and Charlotte (nee Beales) Graver who had moved to the village from North Creake, Norfolk.
He was baptised on the 24th August 1890 in St. Mary’s Church, Snettisham.
He had several older siblings; Orpha (15th December 1874), Selina (9th Dec. 1876), Ruth (25th Nov. 1878), George (7th Apr. 1884), Arthur John (7th Apr. 1886) and Ernest (16th June 1888).
His mother Charlotte also gave birth to sisters Maud and May and brother Frederick who sadly did not survive past infancy.
Tragically his sister Ruth also died, at the age of 12, and was buried in St. Mary’s Church cemetery on the 6th February 1890.
His younger brother Harry (Henry) Graver was born on the 2nd September 1894.
His younger sister Ellen Sarah was born on the 21st April 1897 but died later the same year.
His mother Charlotte later gave birth to two younger brothers; Walter (born 21st April 1898) and Sydney (born 14th February 1900).
By the 1901 census the entire family except for Orpha and Selina (parents and seven children) were living in Station Road (The Row), Snettisham. John’s (Bertie’s father) job was described as ‘horseman on farm’. Orpha had married Thomas Down in 1898 and they were later to settle in Putney, London and have children there. Selina had married Ernest Grief, also of Snettisham, on the 9th August 1896 and they were living elsewhere in the village with their son (they went on to have several more children).
Bertie enrolled in Snettisham school on the 1st June 1899 (This is still the village’s primary school). He went there for his entire schooling with all his siblings.
In the 1911 census, Bertie’s parents John (now 60) and Charlotte (now 48), were still living in Station Road with elder brothers Arthur John (25) and Ernest (23) and younger brothers Harry (17), Walter (14) and Sidney (11). However, Bertie had left home by now.
Whilst records do not clearly show where Bertie had moved to there is a Mr. B. Graver shown as residing at an address in Church End, South Creake, Norfolk with an unknown female. South Creake is a relatively short distance from Snettisham (Census summary record). There are a number of Graver’s living in this locality in 1911 and it was where his mother and father had moved to Snettisham from. By 1911 Bertie was 21.
Following his death, Private 14971 Bertie Graver’s personal belongings were forwarded to his father John.
Tragically, during his time in the army Bertie would have almost certainly become aware of the deaths of his younger brother Harry in April 1915 (killed in action) his mother Charlotte in March 1916 and his older brother George in July 1916.
pictures; please find pictures of Bertie’s parents (John and Charlotte) and his sister Selina, her husband and some of their children attached to his brother Harry’s life story.
