Private Sidney Robert Palmer

Born in West Norwood on 14 April 1888, Sidney was the son of Ellen and George Palmer, who was employed as a Coachman. In 1891 the family were living at Birkbeck Road, Streatham. Sidney was aged 2, while his brother Herbert was 1 year old, and the youngest brother William was aged 1 month.

Sidney attended Eardly Road School, Streatham – initially in the Infant School moving up to the Primary School in October 1895 aged seven.

By 1901 the family had moved to 22 Thrale Road, Streatham, and the family had grown to include Roger 6 and Ellen 4. George was now employed as Furniture Remover, while Sidney was recorded as delivering milk for a dairyman having left school aged 12.

1911 saw the family moving again to 10 Westcote Road, Streatham. George had changed profession again and was now employed as a Night Watchman. Sidney was still working as a Dairyman.

Sidney met and married Harriet Maud Aldridge at St Matthews Church, Fulham on 23 March 1913, as at the time they were living in Fulham

On 30 July 1915, Sidney attested at Wandsworth with the 13th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. His attestation papers state that he was aged 27 and 3 months, 5ft 6in in height and employed as a labourer.

The 13th Battalion was an infantry unit recruited as part of ‘Kitchener’s Army’. It was raised in the summer of 1915 by the Mayor and Borough of Wandsworth in the suburbs of South London.

Sidney was promoted to Lance Corporal in November 1915, but unfortunately, he was demoted back to a Private in February the following year, due to gambling with other Privates after lights out.

Sidney served on the Western Front between 3 June 1916 and May 1917 and his battalion distinguished itself at the capture of Villers-Plouich and Bourlon Wood, in France.

On 13 May 1917, Sidney returned home and was admitted to the Southern Central Hospital, Birmingham where he was treated for a gunshot wound on his left heel. On discharge from hospital, he was granted a furlough from 17 November 1917 to 26 November 1917, to his home at 1 Irving Grove, Stockwell Road where his wife is living. On return from furlough, he was transferred to the Command Depot for Convalescing Soldiers in Tipperary. While there, on 7 January 1918, he overstayed leave by 6 days, and his punishment was 4 days CB (Confined to Barracks).

In February 1918, Sidney undertook three fitness tests. He had to march for eight miles with full equipment. At the end he was examined and was pronounced as ‘not being over-fatigued, able to handle a rifle and left with no scar on his back that would be chafed by equipment.’ Shortly after on 30 March 1918, he was returned overseas with the 3rd Battalion, transferring again to the 12th Battalion in April 1918. After another stint back in the UK, Sidney was sent to Belgium on 12 August 1918. Less than a week later he was killed.

Sidney’s battalion was stationed at Reninghelst, a small village in West Flanders. The Battalion’s War Diary states that “Hostile artillery extremely active on our batteries and roads”. It also states that the casualties for week ending 24 August were 1 officer and 6 other ranks killed. Sadly, Sidney was one of them having been killed in action on 19 August 1918.

After his death his brother Roger wrote a letter on behalf of their mother Ellen, asking for her son’s plaque and scroll to be given to her, as she would value it more than his widow who had remarried only three months after his death. This was refused as rules were that the legal next of kin was his widow. Harriet had married Albert Parker in October 1918.

Sidney is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium and on the Mitcham War Memorial. Harriet had moved to 29 Acre Road, Colliers Wood at some point, which explains why Sidney is included on the Mitcham War Memorial.