Thrandeston History Group

Gurney Roland SANDY (1895 - 1918)

Gurney Roland SANDY was born in Burston in 1895 to Herbert and Ethel SANDY. He was 1 of 4 children.

In 1901 he was age 5, living with his parents and siblings at Builders Yard, Little Green, Thrandeston. His father was a bricklayer and builder and was employing others.

In 1911, Gurney was 16 and was living at Little Green, Thrandeston with his parents and his siblings. He was working as a Grocers Apprentice.

It is not known when Gurney enlisted, but it is known that he was serving with the 8th battalion Lincolnshire regiment when he was killed in action on 10 September 1918 in France. He was 23 years of age. There is an article in the Diss Express that reads:

“Mr and Mrs Sandy have received from the War Office the sad news of the death of their son Gurney. Pte Sandy who was only 23 years of age had spent 3 birthdays in France and had seen hard fighting, having been wounded twice. He returned to England earlier in the year suffering from trench fever and gas poison. After a leave he was sent to Ireland where he went through a course of training in the Lewis Guns Section and was there sent to France in June, being transferred to the 8th Batt Lincolns. He was killed in action on 8th September. Before voluntarily joining up, he was with Messrs Devereux and Son of Lowestoft”.

It is known that Gurney was a grocer’s apprentice and Messrs Devereux and Son of Lowestoft were a grocers. Gurney’s Commonwealth War Graves entry cites that he died on 10th September, the date on the newspaper article is likely to be an error.

Gurney has a listing on the Commonwealth War Graves site, was awarded the Victory and British medals. He is commemorated at the Vis En Artois Memorial in France.

In Memory Of
Private
GURNEY ROLAND SANDY
Service Number: 33010
8th Bn., Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 10 September 1918 Age 23
Son of Herbert and Bertha Sandy, of Rose Villa, Burston, Diss, Norfolk.
Remembered with Honour
VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL
Panel 4.
COMMEMORATED IN PERPETUITY BY THE COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES

Vis-En-Artois Memorial (CWGC)