Esmond Jack Sterry

A Sapper with 208th Field Company, Esmond died on 21st of March 1918 at the age of 20. 

Esmond was born at Lowestoft in 1898, a son of John and Zillah Sterry. He was baptised at Saint John's Church, Lowestoft, on 6 March 1898, and his family lived at Alma Road. In 1901 their address was 5 Alma Road and this was still their address in 1911. Later his parents lived at 7 Grosvenor Road, Lowestoft.  

Esmond enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Royal Engineers, service number 84668. He was posted to France to serve with 208 Field Company. 

On 15 March 1918 the company were sent the code word ‘Battle’ and were ordered to proceed immediately to Hamelincourt and thence to Boyelles where they were employed in digging trenches in readiness for the expected German attack. This work continued for the next few days and elements of the company were detached to help the Royal Field Artillery to prepare gun positions. At 5 a.m. on 21 March the enemy barrage began and attacks developed throughout the day. During the day the company set demolition charges in the Hindenburg Tunnel at the junctions with the Mars Lane Subway, Bow Lane and Juno Lane. Two Sappers, under Lance Corporal Ward, were detailed to set fire to the Gunners Dump at Ecoust and had set the fire when the Germans entered the village. These three men failed to return and it seems that Esmond was one of the two Sappers. He was reported missing on 21 March 1918 and it was later concluded that he had been killed in action on that date. 

During 1918 the Red Cross received several enquiries about Esmond. Each time to Red Cross replied stating that they had no record of him as a prisoner of war.