Corporal 6639 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, died 27 Apr 17. 

 

Born in Hoddesdon in 1882, father Samuel Turner and mother Hannah nee Evans, the youngest of eight children.  Samuel, a Millwright, travelled a lot and died when Stephen was eight.

 

Stephen married Kate Amy Blowers in 1915, Kate lived at 5 Manor Terrace, Felixstowe in 1911.  They had two children - Josephine Frances Turner b. 14 July 1915 and Samuel David Turner b. 8 July 1916.  Kate died later in 1916 and then Stephen was killed in 1917, the children were orphaned before they were 2 years old.  They are on the 1939 Register as living with their Aunts Ada Lottie and Keturah May Blowers at 20 St Andrews Road Felixstowe.  Ada was the children's guardian on Stephens pension record.

 

1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment were one of the lead battalions in the Battle of Arras 23/04/1917 where they were halted by heavy machine-gun fire. Stephen was presumed dead and subsequently identified by his damaged discs, he is buried in Cabaret-Rouge Cemetery.