#32 Pte Samuel Arthur Seago (1883-1917)

#32 Pte Samuel Arthur Seago

Birth March Quarter 1883 in Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. The GRO digitised index shows that his mother's maiden name was Harman. birth record (freeBMD) [Samuel's birth record shows no middle name].

Death 4th October 1917 in Ypres, Belgian Flanders, France and Flanders. Samuel was killed in action. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. war grave register (cwgc.org) memorial record (find a grave) soldiers will (probatesearch) army register of soldier's effects (ancestry) soldiers died in the great war (ancestry) soldiers died in the great war (findmypast) record details (forces war records)

Marriage March Quarter 1903 in Yarmouth district, Norfolk, England to Ellen Maud Reeve (1885-1920) marriage record (freeBMD) [Samuel's marriage record is recorded under the name Arthur Samuel Seago]Samuel and Ellen had four children:
32.1 Rose Ada Seago (1904-1975)
32.2 Francis William Seago (1906-1973)
32.3 Doris Vivian Maud Seago (1909-1972)
32.4 Sgt Arthur William Seago (1915-1944)

Residences
5th April 1891 Census - Samuel was an 8 year-old scholar who was born in Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. He was the son of fish merchant Francis Seago and was living at Waverley Terrace (back of), Lancaster Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England with Francis, Francis' wife Emma Seago, and five of their other children, Alice Seago, John Seago, William Seago, Albert Seago, Arthur Seago and Rose Seago. 1891 census (family search) or 1891 census (ancestry)
31st March 1901 Census - Samuel was a single 18 year-old fish curer's assistant who was born in Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. He was the son of fish merchant Francis Seago and was living at 113 Nelson Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England with Francis, Francis' wife Emma Seago and 4 of their other children, Albert Seago, Arthur Seago, Marian Seago and Rose Seago. 1901 Census (familysearch) or 1901 Census (ancestry) [113 Nelson Road is now occupied by Great Yarmouth Glass].
2nd April 1911 Census - Samuel was a married 28 year-old cooper who was born in Gt Yarmouth, England. He was the son-in-law of William Reeve, a fisherman in the trawling industry, and was living at 2 Glebe Terrace, Skirbeck, Boston, Lincolnshire, England with William, William's wife Eleanor Reeve, three of William's children, Edith L Reeve, William F I Reeve and Ellen Seago, and three children who appear to be recorded as William's children but are actually Samuel and Ellen's children, Rose Seago, Francis Seago and Doris Seago. 1911 Census (familysearch) or 1911 Census (ancestry) [I believe 2 Glebe Terrace is now numbered as 20 Fishtoft Road. See Francis William Seago's post for more details].6th August 1914 - On the date of his attestion Samuel Arthur Seago was residing at 6 Trafalgar Place, Marine Parade, Great Yarmouth. He was married and 30 years 5 months old. He was a labourer in the employ of Francis Seago.

Territorial Force and Army
6th August 1914 - Samuel Arthur Seago was attested and embodied for four years service in the Territorial Force, in the 1st Norfolk Battery of the 1st East Anglian Brigade Royal Field Artillery. His regimental number was 1414. According to his service records he had previously served 7 years as a volunteer in the local artillery but was not currently in any force at the time of his attestation and embodiment. At the time of his attestation Samuel was recorded as being married and 30 years 5 months old. He was 5ft 4.5inches tall, his chest when fully expanded had a girth of 35" with a range of expansion of 2, his vision and physical development were good and he was signed off as fit to serve. His next of kin was listed on his statement of service as Ellen Seago, 6 Trafalgar Place, Marine Parade, Gt Yarmouth.
29th September 1914 - Samuel, now of the 1st East Anglian Brigade's Ammunition Column, was awarded 13 days detention and forfeited 13 days pay, covering the days from 29th September to 11th October 1914. Another line has been written underneath that entry that says forfeited 23 days pay [or possibly says 13?], but it isn't clear from the record whether this is in addition to the original 13 days. All these entries have then been crossed through, but I don't know if this means the punishments were served or else overturned.
28th October 1914 - Samuel was awarded 7 days field impt [imprisonment] and  ?????d [no idea what this word is, but it doesn't look anything like 'forfeited'] 14 days pay, covering the days 28th October to 3rd November 1914. An additional line says forfeits 9 days pay from 28th October 1914.
31st October 1914 - Samuel was discharged from the Territorial Force in consequence of conduct unsatisfactory para 156(4).
26th January 1915 - Samuel's discharge was approved by a Captain of the RFA stationed at Rackheath Park.
The sources used for the above 1914-15 section are WWI Pension records (ancestry) and WWI service records (findmypast) both of which contain his attestation, his medical inspection report and his statement of service. None of these records make any mention of any service after the date of his discharge.
15th June 1915 - According to his medal index card Private Samuel Seago, now Private 14806 of the Hampshire Regiment, entered his first theatre of war, 2B Balkan, on this date. The 2B theatre of war was Gallipoli (see here) I cannot find a second service record to account for either his return to service having been previously discharged, or for their being no mention of his middle name, Arthur, in any records from this point until his death. Looking at the movements of the Hampshire Regiment and comparing it to Samuel's known locations from this medal card, and the locations of his death and later memorial, it looks like he was part of the 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment, part of the 88th Brigade of the 29th Division, so I will also detail their known movements within this section. His medal roll entry for the British War Medal and Victory Medal show him as having been in 2nd Hants, and later in 1st Hants, the latter's campaign details are the same as for the 2nd battalion, except that 1st Hants were also engaged at the Battle of Polygon Wood but were not engaged at the Battle of Langemarck.
12th July 1915 to 13th or 14th July 1915 - 88th Brigade of the 29th Division were engaged in the Battle for Achi Baba.
6th August 1915 to 13th August 1915 - 88th Brigade of the 29th Division were engaged in the Battle of Krithia Vineyard. The Brigade formed the first attack on the afternoon of 6th August.
8th January 1916 - The 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment were evacuated from Gallipolli to Alexandria, Egypt due to heavy casualties from combat, disease and severe weather conditions.
20th March 1916 - The 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment were landed in Marseilles for service in France.
1st to 13th July 1916 - 88th Brigade of the 29th Division were engaged in the 2nd Battle of Albert, a phase of the Battles of the Somme.
1st to 20th October 1916 - 88th Brigade of the 29th Division were engaged in the Battle of the Transloy Ridges, a phase of the Battles of the Somme.
9th April to 4th May 1917 - 88th Brigade of the 29th Division were engaged in the First, Second and Third Battles of the Scarpe, all phases of the Arras Offensive.
16th to 18th August 1917 - The 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment were engaged in the Battle of Langemarck, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres.
26th September 1917 to 3rd October 1917 - The 1st Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment were engaged in the Battle of Polygon Wood, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres.
4th October 1917 - 88th Brigade of the 29th Division were engaged in the Battle of Broodseinde, and in preparations for the Battle of Poelcapelle (fought from 9th October 1917), both phases of the Third Battle of Ypres. Samuel was killed in action on this day.
14th October 1919 - Samuel was listed on the roll of those eligible for the 1914-15 Star.
15th July 1920 - Samuel was listed on the roll of those eligible for the Victory Medal and/or British War Medal.
Sources used for this 1915-1917+ section are Medal Rolls Index Card (ancestry) Medal Rolls Index Card (findmypast) Medal and Award Rolls 1914-15 Star (ancestry) and Medal and Award Rolls British War Medal and Victory Medal (ancestry)